YuGiOh! 5D's: Reverse of Arcadia
by americancheeze
Summary: Koyou has discovered a grim truth about himself and struggles with identity issues, loss, and a growing darker side of himself. All this as an ancient evil rises to destroy us all. Is his fate to help the Signers or destroy them? Please R
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Welcome to the follow-up to my recently completed "Stardust Accelerator" fic! If you haven't read that, then go do so, it's only 20 chapters and is pretty much required reading to understand what is going on here. The Dark Signer arc begins now!

Episode 1: A Dark Sign Part One: Escape

"So..." I said teasingly to the scientist, "do you come here often?"

She rolled her eyes at me, "Do you realize what kind of situation you're in?"

"Ah." I said, realizing something as a fiddled with my restraints, "You care."

She tensed, unsettled by sudden certainty of my seemingly baseless statement. "I hit you with a stun gun and had you taken to that place. I'm in charge of the research on you. What makes you think I'm the kind of person that has remorse."

"Oh, no reason. Just seeing a random geneticist creating life just to revive an ancient force that legend says will protect the world and trying to put it in the hands of a man that claims he has the best interests of an oppressed people. Then listening to her describe my situation as bad, and then her most recent actions as negative."

She looked at me sideways, "That... is very unsettling. You thought that hard on it?"

I shook my head, "Nope. That was easy." I grinned, "Is that even more unsettling?"

"Yes, but from my understanding of your genetic source's profile, it's not that unusual for someone in the Kou family to be sharp about people's inner workings." she went back to adjusting the dials on the machine I was attached to.

I looked hard at the ceiling, "So, I'm truly not the real Koyou Kou."

The woman shook her head, "I'm sorry, I really am."

I laughed.

She turned to me again, regarding me with another strange look, "What's so funny?"

"Isn't it strange that I have the emotions and memories of someone I'm not?"

"I'm not sure how to explain that."

"I have an explanation, though it may be the vanity of any sentient clone, but thinking it it struck me as amusing."  
"Let's hear it then." She leaned on the machine, sincerely interested in my theory.

I smiled at the ludicrous nature, "Basically, if you think about it. I'm the partly amnesiac clone reincarnation of the heir to a fraction of the power of the cosmos, imbued with a false marking designed to steal the power of what amounts to a Aztec god."

"Incan."

"Whatever. Just try and wrap your head around that... then throw in card games, sometimes on motorcycles. It's the silliest thing I've ever heard. Like some overly convoluted amateur fantasy story. Wait... would the cloning make the genre sci-fi?"

"Is that really the thing you should be concerned about?" she thought it over, then laughed, "It is rather ludicrous though. Especially if you add that fact you're strapped to a brainwashing machine ins the heart of a psychic group's headquarters."

"Ah. Now I know to blow up the building when I'm done tricking you into freeing me, killing you, killing your boss, and making off with the girl. Maybe we'll walk away from a cool explosion without looking back like in the movies?"

She gave me another confused look, unsure of what to think of me.

"I'm kidding." I assured her, "Well, about parts of it at least. I probably wouldn't kill you."

"That's what you'd say if you were going to kill me."

"True, but remember the last time you tried to do this it shorted out and freed me. I might not need to trick you."

"Also true." the woman's eyes drifted over to a button on the machine, but she decided against pressing it. Instead she went back to calibration. It was a little while before she spoke again, "I'm going to run the program now. Just sit back and relax. You won't feel a thing."

I was caught a bit off-guard that she was going through with it, but with the machine simply started whirring and nothing happened, I became more perplexed. It didn't _seem_ like I was being brainwashed. What was the screen overhead for if nothing was going to be displayed on it? Regardless I kept on my guard until it stopped, she retracted the screen thing, and pressed that button she'd been pondering, which released my restraints.

She walked over as I sat up and grabbed my head, checking my eyes with a penlight one at a a time. She wrote some data down on a pad and then smiled, "Well, that's all I'm doing, Koyou. I'm sure you understand your task completely now and will not be causing a ruckus?"

That was the first time she'd called me Koyou. Every other time she'd simply referred to me to me by my code name in the project 'Omega'. That fact, and the look on her face, made it pretty clear she was letting me off without brainwashing. I looked at her name tag, speaking in monotone, "I understand, Prof. Seria."

"Good. Now remember, you aren't allowed on the residential floors, which is the 7th floor and below. Especially not the 6th floor. That's where Aki Izayoi stays. You also are forbidden from wandering around on the 8th floor where the Signer girl and her brother are being kept." She thumbed trough her papers, pausing on a concealed picture of Luna just long enough for me to see it. I tried to maintain my cold facade in case of cameras. "Until the brainwashing is settled in, you'll be kept on the other side of that floor in a cell. Understood?"

By the slightly pleading look in her eyes, I understood completely. Divine had finally gone too far, even for someone who had headed this whole project for him. She wanted me to save them. "Yes, Professor."

"Good. Now change and I'll send some guards in to escort you to your cell." Seria motioned toward a pile of clothes, my clothes, in the corner.

I went over, walking as stiffly and methodically as I remembered the other clones walking, and dressed, making note of the deck in the pants pocket and doing my best to cover the lump with my shirt. It was pretty easy to do. I then walked over to the door and the two guards opened the door to let me out, and walked with me to the elevator. I made note of which one had the elevator key card. I did my best to get a fell for the layout of the 8th floor when we got off the elevator, which was easy, since it was mostly a long hallway that wrapped around an open space in the center.

When they opened the door to my cell and walked me inside; I struck, stunning one with a spinning back hand and then grabbing the head of the other, knocking him out with a Muay Thai style knee to the face. Going for maximum speed in taking them both down I swiftly struck the first directly on the ear with the heel of my palm, which is a strike banned from competitive martial arts as it almost always knock the victim straight out. It worked, but the knee hadn't totally worked on the other. I was forced to punt him in the head as he tried to get up. _That_ kept him down. I wasted no time putting their robes on over my clothes, taking one of their duel disks, and getting the key cards I would need to get all of us out of there. I even took the time to shove the one whose robes I'd not taken under the bed and put the disrobed one on the bed under a sheet.

Heading out, I heard a banging on the door to the cell that was nect to mine, a slightly whiny female voice cried out, "Hey you out there! I saw you take out those guards! Could you let me out too?"

I didn't see the harm. I use the key card and the door slid open. Standing on the other side was a black-haired girl around my age in thick round glasses, a blue and white striped shirt with jeans and an orange vest. She was very happy to get out, "Great! Thank you! Wait a minute! Weren't you in the Fortune Cup? I thought the carried you off on a stretcher! What are you doing here?"

"It's complicated, but why where they holding you?"

"I'm Carly Carmine, reporter for the Daily Duel, I was snooping around and they didn't like it very much! If you hadn't come along I don't know what they would've done with me!"

"You're welcome. Now, I need to rescue some other people. Can you find your way out of here by yourself?"  
"Yes, thank you. That's no problem. Good luck!" She ran off. If I'd known what was going to happen to the poor girl not long after, I would have made her come with me.

I was in too big of a hurry however, and made my way around to where the small amount of direction I was given told me Luna was most likely held. I seemed to b getting closer either to her, or a clone, as my mark seemed to encourage me to keep going, leading me right to a door. Apparently, the one on the other side could feel me too.

There was a bang on the door, and Luna's voice called out, "Who's there? Yusei? Koyou?"

I slide the card through the electronic lock and the door opened, "Hey. How's things?" I smiled.

"Koyou!" the little Signer beamed, revealed to see a friendly face, "What are you doing here?"

"I want to ask you the same question, little one."

"Leo, Tanner-san, Yanagi-san, and I all came to talk to Aki, but Divine tricked us! He gassed the room and took us hostage." Luna suddenly looked very sad, "Divine forced Leo to duel him to see if he had powers like me. I think he might be hurt."

"Great... so not only is her injured, Tanner and Yanagi need saving too?"

"Actually only Leo. I already got Tanner and Yanagi out. They made a break for it."

Luna looked over back the way I came and I turned to see the source of the familiar voice, "Yusei!"

Apparently my mark wasn't the only one to lead its bearer to Luna, "I thought you'd be here, Koyou, something about that light over the building a few nights ago made me think it was you. Are you two okay?"

"No worse for wear." I shrugged. Luna nodded that she was fine.

Yusei was relieved, "Alright, Koyou, you go find Leo and make sure the twins get out safely. I'll go see if I can find Aki."

"No, I want to find Aki, you take her and Leo."

Yusei understood my desire to save the woman I loved, but he had to disagree, "As far as I know, Aki's still terrified of you. Did anything happen to change that?"

I slumped, "No... you're right then. If you think you can get through to her, then..." Suddenly a got an ominous feeling. "What is that?"

My mark began to hurt. I didn't know it at the time, but Carly had just fallen (literally) to Divine in a duel, and given in to an evil force that was already threatening our world. Worse than that, I could feel something similar already in the building.

Apparently the others felt it too. Luna shivered, "It feels like something really bad is coming this way... we should hurry."

I looked to Yusei. "Go. I'll handle the twins. Get Aki."

Yusei nodded, do you have a key card for the elevator? I have two Blister made for me."

I nodded, "Yeah. No worries. Just make sure you get Aki out of here. I heard she lives two floors down!"

Yusei nodded again and rushed off. Luna tugged on my arm and we went toward where she thought Leo was being held. It took a bit to get there as I had to talk my way past a few guards, but we finally got to the cell. Unfortunately, another familiar voice stopped me as I was about to slide the card through the lock. It was a voice that in equal measure made me want to vomit and murder.

"What is this? First that noisy reporter breaks out, now you too?" We turned to see Divine standing there with two guards, "I really have to reexamine security protocol around here."

"Divine!" I roared, I was tempted to charge him, but that didn't get me anywhere last time.

He sneered, "Don't speak to me in that tone of voice, boy. Rogers, Hammerstein, subdue them and return them to their cells. I don't have time for this nonsense."

Divine left, and the two guards stepped forward, activating their disks. Luna slotted her own deck and gritted her teeth with determination, "It looks like we're going to have to duel them. I've got your back, Koyou."

I would have dimply fought them, but they were bigger this time, there was no guarantee I could handle both before the second either called for backup or grabbed Luna as a hostage. Dueling wouldn't draw any people, and it was the terms they were agreeing to, so no hostages. I nodded, "Alright, just stay behind me when you're not making a move. These are psychic duelists after all and I can resist their power more easily."

"Koyou..." she hesitated, then nodded, "Okay."

"Duel!"

Koyou & Luna: 8000 vs Rogers & Hammerstein: 8000

I drew, then took the first turn, "It's my turn! First, I activate the spell card: Foolish Burial. With this card I can send a single card from my deck to the grave. I send Joan the Just Monarch. Now I summon Future Samurai in attack mode." the futuristic swordsman appeared on the field, "One face down ends my turn."

Rogers drew, "I set a monster, then one face down, turn end."

Luna stepped room behind me and drew. I gave her some input, "Careful, something tells me that has high defense."

She nodded, "I'll set one monster and then end with a face down. Your move."

I stepped in front of her protectively as Hammerstein began his turn. "I flip summon Mind Protector. Monsters with 2000 or less attack cannot declare an attack, except for Psychic monsters. Next, because I control a psychic type monster, I may normal summon Armored Axon Kicker." I large green and purple man appeared, fist crackling with energy. 2200 attack, just out of range of my trap making a difference, "Armored Axon Kicker attacks Future Samurai." my monster shattered, but the psychic force wasn't that strong comparatively, "When Armored Axon Kicker destroys a monster, I take damage equal to half that monsters attack." he took 800 damage and ended his turn with a trap.

Koyou & Luna: 7400 vs Rogers & Hammerstein: 7200

"Not a very good move. My draw!" I drew and took a look at what Luna had put one the field, it was nothing fabulous, but I could work with it. "I flip summon Sunny Pixie. Next, I activate the spell card Swing of Memories, special summoning Joan the Just Monarch from the grave until the end phase. It won't be on the field that long however. I'm tuning my level 1 Sunny Pixie with my level 6 Joan the Just Monarch! Seven swords sing seven times a song that ends seven lives! Synchro shokan! Slash, Seven Swords Warrior!" A tall golden warrior appeared a heavily armed and armored with 2300 attack, "Trap card open! Blast with Chain! This card equips to Seven Swords warrior and boosts his attack by 500. Seven's effect activates. Once per turn when he is equipped with a card, I can inflict 800 damage to you." my monster whipped the chain around and smacked Hammerstein.

"Gah!"

"Next, I activate Luna's set spell: Release Restraint Wave. This little beauty destroys an equip I control, then every spell and trap on your side."

"No!" all his face downs were swept away by a wave of energy.

"Two effects are chained. First, when Blast with Chain is destroyed while equipped I can destroy a card on your field. I destroy Armored Axon Kicker. Second, when an equip on Seven Sword Warrior is removed from the field I can destroy one face up monster I destroy Mind Protector!"

Hammerstein gawked, "My entire field in one move! Impossible!"

I turned to give Luna a high-five, "Signer power! I direct attack with Seven Swords Warrior!"

"Argghh!"

Koyou & Luna: 7400 vs Rogers & Hammerstein: 4900

Rogers drew, "I summon Genetic Woman." a woman with two robot arms and wearing a leopard hat appeared, soon followed by a robot jester, "I activate Emergency Teleportation to special summon Krebons from my deck."

"Crap, synchro summoning."

"I tune my level 2 Krebons with my level 4 Genetic Woman! Wrack the mind and wreck the psyche! The persona of dread rises to rend all asunder! Synchro summon! Plague their dreams, Psychic Nightmare!" a large, nightmarish gargoyle appeared, wreathed in green lightning, "His effect is activated. I pick a random card in your hand. If I can guess what kind it is, Psychic Nightmare gains 1000 attack until the end phase." Either way, the monster's 2400 points already surpassed my warrior's 2300. "You only have one card. Since you didn't use your summon last turn it might be a high level monster. You didn't set anything, so it probably isn't a trap. I'm going to bet on spell card!"

I revealed the Supervise in my hand. He was right.

"Psychic Nightmare's attack become 3400 until the end phase. Now! Attack Seven Swords Warrior with Mind Crusher!"

The monster grabbed the head of my warrior and let out a sonic shriek, causing Seven Swords Warrior to cry out in pain and shatter. The shards of the battle cut mildly into my flesh, "Gah!"

Koyou & Luna: 6300 vs Rogers & Hammerstein: 4900

"Turn end!"

Luna looked at my wounds with concern, "Koyou! Are you okay?"

I chuckled, "I was nearly disemboweled a few days ago. Compared to Aki, these guys are lightweights. 1100 damage and it barely stung."

Still worried, Luna drew, uncertain of what to do at first, then she saw the combination, "I activate Ancient Forest." The battlefield was suddenly changed into a magical forest, "When a monster attacks it is destroyed at the end of the battle phase. Next I summon Kuribon and set a card."

I wasn't sure what she was planning, bringing a monster with barely any attack out. The little furball seemed mostly useless, but who was I to judge, I used the tiny Gemini Soldier quite often to devastating effect."

Hammerstein laughed, "Amateur! I set a monster, then activate Psychic Nightmare's effect. I guess the card on the left is a spell!" he was right, "I attack your little furball with Psychic Nightmare!"

"I activate Bad Reaction to Simochi! Whenever you gain life you instead lose life!"

"So what?"

Kuribon suddenly returned to Luna's hand, "When Kuribon battles I take no damage and if he would be destroyed he returns to my hand. You then gain life equal to the attack of the monster that attacked him."

Hammerstein gawked, "What? GAHH!" Bad Reaction to Simochi turned the heal into deal, delivering 3400 points of damage.

Luna raised her hand to the sky, "Conflict isn't allowed here. Because your monster attacked, it is destroyed at the end of the battle phase."

Koyou & Luna: 6300 vs Rogers & Hammerstein: 1500

"You little! Turn end!"

I gave the little firecracker another high five, "Unstoppable team! That's what we are. Thanks for picking up the slack."

Luna giggled.

I started my turn. Luck was with us in my draw, "I summon Blazewing Butterfly. This is over. I equipp this bad boy with Supervise and use its effect. Tributing it to revive Future Samurai." A pillar of fire erupted, leaving a heavily armored woman with a crown in its wake, "Supervise hiting the grave revives a normal monster from there. I special summon Joan the Just Monarch! Joan the Just monarch attacks your set monster!"

"No! Wait!" his monster shattered.

"Direct attack!"

Koyou & Luna: 6300 vs Rogers & Hammerstein: 0

Hammerstein buckled under the force of the attack, clutching a light wound on his stomach, Rogers ran to his side. I took the chance to hand Luna the Key Card, "Luna, use this on the door and make sure Leo is okay, I'll keep these guys busy unless you need me to carry him."

She nodded, taking the key card and going to her brother. I took that chance to punt Rogers in the head to knock him out, and did the same soon after to Hammerstein. I was done incapacitating them when the twins came out. Leo seemed a bit worn down, but overall fine.

"Alright you two, stay close and follow me to the elevator. We don't want to draw any more attention. They nodded, and we were soon underway.

I got on the elevator with them without a hitch and rode down. Seria was there talking with Tanner and Yanagi, she seemed releaved that we were okay, but was also concerned with something else, "Where's Aki?"

"My friend Yusei is going to get her."

My mark throbbed, as did Luna's, "Koyou, it feels like they are in trouble... you should go help."

I turned and started back to the elevator, "I was already going to do that."

There was no way I was going to leave either Yusei or Aki to that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. They were in real danger. Something blacker than coal was very near one of them. I had no way to know what the strange thing was, but I wasn't going to let it have its way. The ride up to the living quarters seemed like an eternity, but it seemed too short the moment I saw the person who was waiting to get on it.

Divine gritted his teeth and growled, "For pete's sake, do I have to do everything myself?"

Nect Chapter: A Dark Sign Part 2: Destined War

Set in stone events: Koyou vs Divine, the appearance of Dark Signers, days are saved but weeks are left in turmoil!

A/N: Sorry for the mediocre start compared to the last iteration. I was a bit restricted by canon here. When there is more room to move around there will be better stuff.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thise chapter is VERY freaking dark at the end. Adult themes warranting the M-rating and such. You've been warned. If you like Aki, you probably won't like this chapter much.

Episode 2: A Dark Sign Part 2: Destined War

I stepped out of the elevator, taking steps around Divine but making sure he made no move to escape in it. He did the opposite, backing up for a face to face showdown in the hall. I smiled, "Well hello again, Divine. Fancy running into you here."

He very nearly growled, "Time and again you embarrass me, you ungrateful cur! I made you! You're nothing but my property! You have no right to opposed me!"

"So, what? You think your some kind of god now just because you play around with lives." I spat in his face, "You're not worth a single brick of the building we're standing in."

He wiped the saliva away, an grinned his serpent smile, "This is just the kind of attitude a lesser being like you would stoop to. No, classless behavior like this is just at your level, no need to stoop at all."

"You talk big for the king of a falling kingdom."

"Nothing's falling. I lost the Signer girl but even if they report me, Securities is still in my pocket, the woman you think you love is still my loyal pet, and-"

I lunged at his degrading of Aki and the fail-safe in my brain forced me my knees in agony, "Gah! Don't you call her... that! AHH!"

"Like I was saying, you're totally incapable of doing a thing to me. Since you're I my power you're helpless, and that freak Kaigen Kou dare not come after me, lest he risk the life of some cheap xerox copy pretending to be his son." He kicked me over with a slightest effort of one foot. I climbed back to my knees, but I couldn't stand. He placed a card on his disk and manifested an energy sword, "Chiefly though, I can just kill you right here and make another. I'm patient. I hold all the cards."

He brought the sword down for my head, but my arm shot up to block it with my duel disk, I chuckled, "Isn't that just a little too easy? Think about it, Divine. After the past few days, aren't you so sick of me a quick death isn't good enough?" I stood, pushing aside his blade and raising my disk again in challenge, "Wouldn't humiliating me be a hell of a lot more satisfying? I wonder if this fail-safe will keep me from killing you in a duel?"

Divine stepped back, sneering at me as he put his card back into his deck and shuffled it, "Let's find out."

"Duel!"

Koyou: 8000 vs Divine: 8000

"You can have the first turn, I don't mind." Divine bowed theatrically.

I took five from my deck for my starting hand and the drew to begin my turn, "I'll set a monster, then one face down, turn end."

Divine drew, "Now watch the dueling of a god! I summon Destructotron!" a sinister blue robot with four legs, a TV for a head, and a villainous image for a face appeared, "With his effect, I can pay 1000 life points to destroy one face down spell or trap on your field." My lone face down was shattered, "Next, I activate a handy Double Summon. I'm sure you're familiar with it. It gives me another normal summon. I use it to summon Ultimate Axon Kicker."

"Popular card with you Arcadians isn't it?" I quipped.

He ignored me, "Next I follow with Emergency Teleportation, special summoning Krebons from my deck." he laughed, "I tune my level 2 Krebons to my level 6 Ultimate Axon Kicker!"  
_Crud. A level 8 already._

"Surge, my black mist of vengeance! Synchro Summon! Come, Thought Ruler Archfiend!" A massive green, humanoid demon with skeletal accents appeared with 2700 attack points. "I attack your set monster with Thought Ruler Archfiend." My monster, Duel Gardna shattered and suddenly Divine had gained 1500 life points. "When Thought Ruler Archfiend destroys a monster by battle, I gain life equal to its attack points!"

I winced, "Whenever Duel Gardna is destroyed in battle, I send one gemini from my deck to the grave, I send Phoenix Gearfried."

Divine laughed, "Oh, good thinking, it's stronger and if you revive it you can turn things around. Too bad though. I equip Thought Ruler Archfiend with Ruler's Scepter. This equip card can only be equip to Thought Ruler Archfiend by discarding a spell from my hand. When my lifer points are higher than yours, Thought Ruler Archfiend gains attack equal to the difference."

"What? That ridiculous!"

"This is the power of a god! Destructotron attack you directly and one face down ends my turn!"

"Gack!" Thought Ruler Archfiend's attack rose to 4600.

Koyou: 6600, vs Divine: 8500

"I draw." No monster or spell destruction effects, but I could get Tuned Swordsman to the grave and bide time until I could revive it and deploy my dragon then take out that spell, "I set a monster, turn end" This was going to sting some more.

"Thought Ruler Archfiend attacks and I activate a trap card: Strike Slash. Thought Ruler Archfiend gains 700 and may pierce defense until the end of this turn. You can't hide behind your little monsters!"

"GAAAAH!"

"Destructotron attacks directly!"

"Gha!" Thought Ruler Archfiend's attack became 12300.

Koyou: 800 vs Divine: 10400

My knees buckled. Where the hell did he get a card that strong?

He laughed, "Yes! Kneel before me!"

I stood, "I don't lose to brute force." I drew... a miracle combination, "I summon Gemini Solider in attack mode, then three cards face down. Turn end." If he had a Heavy Storm, or even a Mystical Space Typhoon and some luck, I was dead. I had to believe in fate though, I just had to believe. I only had one shot.

Divine laughed, "Trying to protect your true trap with decoys? Well too bad I know your family's little trick!"

I tensed up.

"That's right. 90% of the time people set their most important face down first! Your alleged father used that common truth on me years ago! Now I use it on you! I pay 1000 life points and Destructotron destroys the middle facedown." my Kunai with Chain shattered. "Ha! That's a good one! You would have switched my Archfiend to defense, the weaker score. Nice try but this is over! You are nothing! I attack Gemini Soldier with Thought Ruler Archfiend!"

I grinned, "I activate Power Frame!"

"What?"

"Your attack is negated and Gemini Soldier's attack becomes equal to the attack of the monster that came after him." Gemini Soldier's attack became equal to the synchro's 11300. "I know that trick, Divine, that's why I never set my best trap first!"

"How could you... GAAHHHH!" Divine yelled in rage, "It doesn't matter! You can't stop me so easily. Just losing my Thought Ruler isn't the end of my power. I switch Destructotron to defense and end my turn."

Koyou: 800 vs Divine: 9400

I smiled, then drew, "This is over. You are nothing. I second summon Gemini Soldier to grant him his effect. Next I activate my other decoy set card. Assault Armor. This can only be equipped to a warrior monster that is the only monster I control. I tribute it to give Gemini Soldier two attacks. The first destroys Thought Ruler Archfiend." The demon was taken down in a single hit. "One per turn Gemini Soldier is not destroyed in battle, and whenever he battles I summon a level four or lower gemini from my deck. Come out Evocator Chevalier!"

"My Thought Ruler... bested by a pipsqueak!"

"Evocator takes out Destructotron."

"You ungrateful cur! I MADE YOU! I MADE YOU GOD DAMMIT!"

"Gemini Soldier's second attack is a direct one. Feast upon the power you craved!"

The duel was ended, all of Divine's 9400 life points were taken out in that single direct attack, which sent him flying towards the far wall with force enough to crack it and knock the man unconscious.

Koyou: 800 vs Divine: 0

I looked at his limp form with a grin. "My _father_ made me."

Advancing down the hall I heard a commotion below, the sounds of a duel below. Looking across the way and one floor down, I saw Aki being confronted by a beautiful, dark-robed woman with a strange dark mark. My own mark throbbed, angry. That strange woman was trouble that much was very clear. So I turned back and went back to the elevator, riding it down one floor and rushing to Aki's side. I didn't even notice on my way by him that Divine was getting up, and certainly didn't see Carly approaching in the same robes as that woman, intent on avenging herself.

She was distracted, nearly crying, confused, "I don't even know your brother. I didn't..."

The other woman sneered, "He was nothing to you, but he was everything to me. I'll never forgive you for taking his life!" There was a sudden rumble as she manifested a card, "Feel my pain and sorrow. Cower before the power of an Earthbound Immortal!"

_Earthbound Immortal?_ An immense reptilian eye peaked in the window and a giant hand reached in after Aki. "Get down!"

I tackled her to the ground and shielded her with my body. Missing the target, the creature raked it paw across the wall, rending it asunder. Above us their was the sound of explosions and something tearing through the outer wall. The whole building shook and sections of wall and ceiling started falling. Whatever that monster was, it was tearing the whole place apart. The women smiled looking up.

"That was fast." Suddenly, Divine fell from the floor above through the center open area. It was certain death.

Aki shoved me aside and cried out, running to the balcony rail, "Divine! NO!"

The dark-robed woman laughed, "It seems I will have to save our duel for another time. Farewell, Black Rose Witch."

"Divine! DIVINE!" Aki was sobbing uncontrollably.

It was then, in the chaos, that Yusei finally found us, "Aki, Koyou, we've got to get out of here! The whole place is coming down around us!"

I grabbed Aki, and all but dragged her to the stairs, knowing the elevator was too risking in a building collapse. Suddenly, something occurred to me and I turned to Yusei. "Make sure she gets out. I have something I need to do."

"This place will fall apart any minute!"

"I have to do it! Take care of her for me!" I ran back, arriving at that risky elevator, the one that was the only way I would make it to the roof on time.

The were there, I could feel them. I couldn't just let them die. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta were mindless clones that couldn't get out themselves, but they were still lives. They could even be called my brothers. Perhaps I could get them out, and maybe without the conditioning they could become regular people. Even if we would fight over who was the rightful Koyou, I couldn't let them die mindless slaves!

Sure enough, they were all wandering aimless on the duel field. I ran to the closest one, "Come one! We have to get you all out of here! The building is coming down!"

It turned to me, "Duel!"

"Listen to me! You could die!"

"Duel." he raised duel disk in challenge.

I grabbed its shoulders and shook him, "Snap out of it dammit!"

"Duel."

Looking over to the others, they started walking towards me, "Duel."

With a rumble the ground caved in, the field collapse where there was the least structural support, over that open area that went all the way to the bottom. I barely managed to grab the ledge and avoid falling. The clones nearest to me hadn't been so lucky, plummeting emotionlessly to his death. I quickly hoped my friends had not seen that. They would think it was me.

I looked to the previously advancing clones across the gap in the floor. They were still advancing, "No! Stop! You'll fall! Didn't they give you any sense of self-preservation?"

"Duel!" one fell, walking straight off the ledge.

"STOP! LISTEN TO ME!"  
"Duel!" the next fell.

"I SAID STOOOOOP!"

"Duel." the last one stroll to his demise.

"DAMMIT! DAMN YOU, DIVINE! YOU MONSTER!"

My rage and despair gave me the strength to pull myself up, but it was obvious there was no making it down. The floor was so unsteady beneath my feet I might as well have been standing in a house of cards. Through the glass windows I could clearly see the twin monsters ripping the place down. A huge black lizard, and an equally big hummingbird, both with a strange glowing auras. I walked to the edge of the field and looking down. The surrounding area was a wreck, torn asunder by strange marks that matched the beasts. It was like the end of the world.

I felt the time had come. If I didn't get out I'd end up hitting the bottom floor the hard way. I searched around, but there was no chance. The way to the elevator was buckling as I watched. There was only one way down. I turned and stared the giant lizard in the eye, then charged it, jumping through the glass wall. Yes, I was out of my damn mind.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, my sister Mei was nursing my broken arm back at Blister's place, "You're lucky, it's your disk arm. If we get you a cast you can still duel."

I laughed, "Mei, I just jumped from the 25th floor of a collapsing building to the head of a giant evil salamander, was thrown off it, and barely landed on the roof of a nearby building three floors shorter. I'm lucky I'm even alive."

"Yeah, that too you big dummy!" she smacked me on the shoulder, hard. It was the one I'd dislocated too. It was mostly healed but it still hurt. "Watch it, that's the bad shoulder!"

"Serves you right for risking your life like that! What were you even doing up there?"

"Like I said. Trying to save some people." she didn't need to know anything about the whole clone business. If they dug four of me from the rubble, then I'd explain.

Yusei, from the corner of the room, laughed, "You're out of your mind."

That clear fact aside, "How's Aki doing? I haven't seen her since Blister picked me up."

"She's fine physically, but she's hurting inside. She lost someone very important to her today. Even if it was only Divine."

Mei frowned, "She's been through a lot."

Yusei nodded, then remembered something, which he pulled out of his pocket, "That reminds me. That Professor Seria woman gave me this to give to you. She said you'd know the password." He handed me one of those stick PDAs with the virtual solid screens/interface.

"What did she say was on it?"

"'Pertinent files', she said. She dumped the hard drives of the Arcadia Movement unto it. Are you going to give it to the police?"

"With Divine gone, he has no power over them, so I'll give it a look and decide. I'm sure Goodwin will be happy to act on it after making sure he isn't implicated."

Yusei seemed worried, "You've been through a lot lately too it seem."

I laughed, "You're no clean bill of health either, man. I mean, shadow duelists claiming to be the natural enemy of Signers? A plot to plunge the world into chaos? I mean geez, I thought Divine failing to steal the Crimson Dragon would be the end of all this nonsense."

"Thanks for that by the way."  
"Actually I didn't do anything. It failed on its own." I pondered the sensitive information that would be on the PDA. "Anyway, can I get a few minutes alone? I have some thinking to do."

Yusei nodded, "Sure. Mei and I have errands to run for Blister anyway. Relax, after all this I'm sure you need a break." The two of them left, Mei hugging me before heading out, and slapping Yusei rear as they left, much to his annoyance, "Stop that already!"

I couldn't bring myself to laugh. When they were gone, I activated the PDA and entered the password when prompted. It was easy to guess. She had locked it with my code name from the project, "Omega." There was some video files on it with the rest of the project data, and some files listing other experiments on the members, trying to boost powers and basically sculpt an army of weapons. To my anger, but not shock, Aki was on the list. The list of 'treatments' was intensive for every single one, but Aki especially. It seemed she got a dose of brain scramble every week to keep her obedient.

Many of the video files were just security footage, which helped clarify some things. Initially, 'Omega was a normal clone alongside the other five. One day, he broke out and raided the card storage, then wandered off. There were images of him shirtless, and I could tell each clone had their greek letter tattooed on their upper back. I checked my back in a nearby mirror. It was there, and it didn't hurt, so it was an old tattoo... They had been telling the truth. There was no avoiding it.

It was then I came across a folder hidden away on the hard drive. I'd only found it through a tiny shortcut on the toolbar by chance. When I opened it, it was labeled 'Aki'. I got a really bad feeling about it, but looked at the videos anyway. My worst fears were quickly confirmed... it was porn. Sick, voyeuristic and worse. Videos of her in the shower and using the bathroom were the tamest. The worse ones made a fire boil inside me that wasn't desire. It was rage. It was anger beyond any conceivable notion of the emotion. Words can't describe it. My head felt like it would detonate and my body felt as if it would burn away. It was unforgivable. A thousand deaths inflicted with my own hands through methods bad enough to make Satan take note would not be enough. A million more would still not satiate me.

There was video after video after video, dating back about three years. It started with molestation when she was unconscious during treatments, then when she was awake. Even wen she'd say she didn't like it, he played the 'love card'. Saying he was the only one one loved her, and he needed her to show him her love. He stole her innocence! A few times it seemed like she didn't remember previous times, usually after she'd stopped asking him not too. He'd brainwashed her to keep the thrill of corrupting her! He'd played with her mind and body like it didn't even matter!

Throwing the accursed PDA aside, I bellowed in rage, walking over and punching a nearby locker until well after my knuckles started bleeding. The rage wouldn't die! If I'd known before... IF I'D KNOWN HE WAS DOING THAT! …. It wasn't enough... it would never be enough. The rage felt like it would never go away. I felt like killing, like skinning the bastard, no worse ANYONE WOULD DO! I just needed to KILL! KILL! KILL SOMEBODY!

I grabbed the sides of my head, my whole body was beyond the usual tingle. My whole body was throbbing with lust for destruction. I could only see Aki's face, twisted in a mix of sorrow and pleasure as Divine grinned like the bastard he was and violating her. Before I knew what was happening I'd tron half the room I was staying in apart. I was mumbling something I can't remember, probably, "KILL! KILL! KILL!"

I howled in rage. Trying to get the knowledge out of my brain by being mad enough about it. It took me a few minutes to start thinking straight again. Eventually, my love for Aki outwighed my rage. The fact that she would need me to recover, to protect her, to make her forget... that was probably the only thing that kept me from going on a worse rampage at that moment. I deleted the entire folder, if she was lucky enough to have recently gotten a memory wipe, she didn't need to know about it. It sickened me to think of it as a good thing, but the most recent videos had he simply accepting Divine again, so it was likely she'd been mind-wiped. Either way I would make her forget all about him, I would cleanse her of that man's taint no matter what.

I was going to shut the PDA off afterward, but then I saw another folder, labeled something quite vital. "Dark Signers". In it was some random research on them that Divine had done and a single video labeled "Dark Signer?" I watched it, and it wasn't porn, thank god. Even though part of me wished it was after I watched it.

Next Chapter: Siege and Sanctuary

Set in stone events: An army of Shadow Drones in service to the Dark Signers attacks, the pain of Aki's past boils over, and a deadly twist threatens the person closest to Koyou and threatens to rip his life apart. An Earthbound Immortal looms over an ally next time on "Reverse of Arcadia".


	3. Chapter 3

Episode 3: Siege and Sanctuary

"Mei, are you done with that delivery?" Blister asked through the phone line.

Speaking into my cell, I made it no secret that I was annoyed, "Yeah, yeah. You know, I don't mind doing this, but I wish I'd borrowed a runner, it would have been a lot faster."

"That aside, I think you should get back here. I think something in that data made Koyou flip his lid. He's fine now, but about five minutes ago he was tearing his room apart."

"That doesn't sound like him... I wonder what was in those files." It really didn't seem like Koyou at all. Normally he was pretty docile, though he had buttons that could be pushed like everyone else, "Are you sure he's fine? Did he say anything?"

"No. He just apologized and tidied up. He didn't even talk with Yusei about it." he sighed, "Then he went for a ride, said he'd be back in few minutes. Make sure you get back soon."

"Of course. We talk about everything... well almost everything." I had my secrets, and I'm sure he didn't tell me his either. He never hid anything important.

"Right. See you then."

"Yeah." I ended the call and continued my walk through the slums.

True to form, I'd been attacked once and harassed twice, both resulting in me kicking some poor fool's ass. It was annoying as hell that we had to stay there. After seeing the reports on the devastation at the Arcadia Movement it made sense though. Anyone with a mark would probably draw those guys to them and we dare not stay at my folks place, right next to the school. Well, I technically could. I had no mark of any kind so the Dark Signers would probably not care in the least about me.

Suddenly, almost on cue with my thoughts, I got a chill that ran up my spine. I could hear a duel runner approaching, and for some reason I felt like it was after me. It kept getting closer and I was tempted to run to get out of the way or something, but I was paralyzed for some reason. It was like my body was too scared to move. I let out a breath of relief when it passed. It was short lived. It stopped at an alley just ahead and the rider, man in strange yellow and black riding gear, turned to me. I recognized the runner immediately. It was mine.

"Hey! Missing something?"

"You! Are you the one that stole my runner?" my runner had gone missing around the start of the Fortune Cup and had been sighted around strange murders that in retrospect looked a hell of a lot like the work of a Dark Signer, "Did you attack those people?"

He laughed, accelerating down the alley. Not thinking I gave chase. He wasn't far, he'd stopped on the opposing side of a makeshift duel field and when he saw me, pointed to the other side.

I glared at him and took my place, "You want it like that? Fine. I give you a good lesson. Your on!"

He already had his disk on and simply got off the runner, stepping forward from it. "I'll be going first. If you don't mind."

_Why is that voice so familiar?_ "Fine, you need all the help you can get."

We both drew our starting hand of five cards and activated our disks. It was then that I realized, too late, that something wasn't right. The man's arm began to glow with a strange mark. On closer inspection, it looked like a monkey. The entire field was surrounded by a wall of flame. High in the sky, a mark just like the one on his arm appeared. I'd stepped into a duel with a Dark Signer, and from what I remembered from my dad's stories, it was going o be a Shadow Duel.

All the more reason to win, "Duel!"

Mei: 8000 vs Dark Signer: 8000

He drew at the beginning of his turn, "I start off with the field spell: Mausoleum of the Emperor." we were suddenly on a walkaway above a pit full of statues. A tomb loomed behind him. "This field enables us to spend life points in increments of 1000 in place of tributes for summoning. I pay 1000 life points to summon Prime Material Dragon." a sinewy gold dragon appeared with 2400 attack. "Two face down cards ends my turn."

"My turn, I draw." I had nothing to get rid of that field spell, but I did have, "Continuous spell card: Vahalla, Hall of the Fallen. Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can special summon a fairy-type monster from my hand. I summon Vairon Soldier!" a mechanical angel with massive arms and no legs appeared, soon joined by a cube-like robot, "Next I normal summon the tuner monster Vairon Cube. I tune my level three Vairon Cube to my level four Vairon Solider. Time to taste power! Synchro summon! Descend, Vairon Sigma!" A massive mechanical angel shaped like the Greek letter was summoned, rings surrounding its huge arms.

"Trap card open: Fatal Abacus! Whenever a player sends a monster from the field to the grave, they take 500 damage."

Beads shot out and struck me for 1000 total. The hits were already starting to bruise. "This damage is real..." I gritted my teeth, "So I'll make you feel some! I attack with Vairon Sigma. It only has 1800, but when it attacks and is the only monster I control, I can equip to it an equip spell from my deck! I select Axe of Despair increasing his attack to 2800!"

"Trap card open! Absolute End! Every attack you make this turn becomes a direct attack!" He buckled a little as he took the massive hit, his helmet even cracked.

"Wh-Why would you take a hit like that?"

"I wonder." he snickered.

I eyed him suspiciously, "I set a face down and end my turn."

Mei: 7000 vs Dark Signer: 4200

He drew, "I activate my spell: Foolish Burial! With this I send one monster from my deck to the grave. I send Manticore of Darkness. Next, I pay 2000 life points with Mausoleum of the Emperor to summon a monster with no tributes."

Even though he was down to 2200, fielding a monster that required two tributes was nothing to sneeze at. Especially when I realized that mark in the sky was sucking in energy from the area. No, looking at it he was drawing in ghosts... human souls?

That mark came crashing down as my foe chanted. "I sacrifice the souls of these spirits! Arrive, Earthbound Immortal Cusillu!" A huge monkey erupted from the ground, if not for the consumption of souls, the massive size and 2800 attack, it would seem comical. My foe looked at me, laughing maniacally, "Feel despair. Let it envelope you for you betrayal!"

"Betrayal?" I had know idea what he meant, then he took off his helmet, "N-n-no! It isn't you! It can't be you! You can't be a Dark Signer! W-why are you...? What did..."

"Earthbound Immortal Cusillu can attack you directly!"

"What? 2800 attack and it can-" the monkey slammed a fist into the ground and a fissure streaked towards me, exploded rocks that assailed me from all sides, "AAAHHHHH!"

"One face down and I end my turn. Manticore of Darkness' effect activates. During the end phase of any turn it was sent to the grave, I may discard or tribute any form of beast monster to special summon him from the grave. I discard another Manticore of Darkness. That one's effect activates, I tribute my summoned Manticore of Darkness to summon the discarded one."

I struggled to my feet, "Why? Your Fatal Abacus will deal 500 damage to you!"

He laughed, "Thanks to Prime Material Dragon, effect damage heals me."

I went wide-eyed. "No."

"Yes. I can keep tributing Manticores infinitely to revive the other, until my life points equal the maximum our disks will register!" His life streaked from 2,200 to 65,535, as the endless effect fast forwarded, "Odd number to be capped at, but I'm no programmer. Your move."

Mei: 4200 vs Dark Signer: 65535

"Dear god." I drew a card. _Got to get rid of that Earthbound Immortal._ "I equip Sigma with Vairon Material, raising his attack by 800 to 3600. Then I-" I entered the battle phase, but couldn't cue and attack on the Earthbound Immortal. "What the?"

He snickered, "Such lesser beings can't attack a god!"

Gritting my teeth, I changes plans, "I attack Prime Material Dragon, equipping Cestus of Dagla from my deck giving another 500 point boost."

"Trap card open! Staunch Defender, I redirect your attack to Manticore of Darkness. He is sent to the grave, and I heal by 500."

In that case he only kept 1200 of the 1700 damage. Not even a scratch, "When a monster equipped with Cestus of Dagla inflicts battle damage, I heal by the same amount."

He applauded as my life points went up 1700 points. "I revive Manticore by discarding Ape Magician."

Mei: 5900 vs Dark Signer: 64335

He drew, "Simply delightful! I attack your Sigma with Cusillu!"

"WHAT? It's weaker!" he took 1700, and I healed by the same amount, but when the smoke clear I hit the floor suddenly weaker. Manticore of Darkness was gone again, Cusillu was still there, and my life points were halved. "What the hell?"

My foe laughed, "When Cusillu would be destroyed in battle I can tribute a monster to negate that destruction and half my opponents life points."

"That's ridiculous!"

"I end my turn."

Mei: 3800 vs Dark Signer: 63135

I forced myself to stand, even though my eyes were filling with tears, "Why? Why are you doing this...? I don't understand? What made you so mad that you'd hurt me? Even if you remembered... even if someone told you about that shameful thing I've been hiding from you. That was a long time ago, Koyou! I'm sorry! Does it have to come to this? I didn't... I wasn't thinking right!"

My brother leered at me, "You're such a stupid bitch. You don't even realize!"

I stopped crying. My reason for crying was gone. "You're not my brother. My brother would never say that to me. No matter what I did he would never attack me! I believe in Koko!"

Suddenly, the imposter began laughing hysterically, "You don't even realize! You stupid, stupid woman! If you new the truth! HAHAHAHAHA!"

I drew, "I attack Prime Material Dragon! I equip another Cestus through Sigma's effect! Now I heal by twice what I dish out and have 500 more attack!" I dealt 1400, he took 500 more from his Abacus with the dragon gone, and I healed by 2800. "Turn end!"

Mei: 6600 vs "Koyou": 63135

He grinned, "Hmmm. Seems all I have is a monster you can't declare an attack against. I wonder what good that effect is now."

As much as I hated to admit it, I realized he was right. I could no longer attack at all. I needed to draw something to get that thing off the field!

"I draw! Next I attack you directly!" I was besieged by rocks once again, "Quick-play spell: Beast Soul Swap! I return Cusillu to my hand a special summon a monster in my hand of equal level." It vanished, only to appear again, "Like Cusillu! Since he just got back, he attacks you directly again!"

"GYAHHHH!"

"TURN END!"

Mei: 1000 vs. "Koyou": 63135

I hit my knees, "Koyou... help... me... aniki!"

"I'm not going to forgive you. No matter how much you beg!"

"You're... not... Koyou!" I struggled to draw a card... and got nothing that could protect me, or destroy that thing. I had nothing. "Turn... end."

He laughed, "Useless! Fall and face the fate you deserve. _Nothing_ can stop us from plunging the world into eternal chaos! Cusillu attacks you directly!"

I didn't feel any pain. Instead, everything just suddenly went dark.

Mei: 0 vs "Koyou": 63135

Not Long Ago, Koyou's Perspective

I strolled back through the front door, still thinking about the security footage that I'd seen in that damn folder. It corresponded to a flashback I'd had earlier of seeing myself erupt from the main tube of the lab and killing my way out. I'd thought it was odd that I had seen the memory from outside of myself, but seeing the footage made it completely clear. That wasn't me. It was dated after some footage of me "Omega" with the ID mark on my back. That murderous figure had no Greek letter, so it either wasn't a clone or was a new one they had just made. The marks it did have were the troubling. Yellow marks covering his body, and a sign of a monkey had been on his forearm. The very idea of what it might mean was unsettling enough, but the fact that the notes confirmed it was all the worse.

That was the body of the original Koyou... and it was most certainly a Dark Signer.

I looked over and apparently Yusei had been waiting for me. We walked into the building and up the elevator back towards the main room. I pondered confessing everything right there... but how exactly do you go about telling your best friend you've been lying this entire time. How could I admit I wasn't who I claimed to be and the real thing was an enemy? I'd hoped on my ride I would be attacked by the Dark Signer me, and I could defeat him before anyone found out. That hadn't happened. In the end, I was an idiot and kept my mouth shut.

"You feeling better?" Yusei asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I'm fine now. There were lots of files on there of Divine's experiments on people, and it hit close to home." It wasn't entirely a lie, but then I added one, "I nearly ended up like that."

Yusei nodded, understanding.

"Plus, Aki was on the list." thinking of everything that had been on their concerning Aki made my blood boil again, "He was just using her this whole time."

"Are you going to tell her?"

I slumped, "How do you go about telling someone that the one they've trusted so much and put so much faith in was just a lie?"

He got straight to the heart of the matter, "It's better to be told than to find out. Just be there for her."

Too bad I was too afraid to face my own truth, "Good advice I guess. She probably still hates me."

Suddenly, Yusei tensed up and his eyes went wide, "Koyou!"

He was looking past me, so I turned around. A half dozen people with the mark of the spider marched into our view, half going down the hall towards Aki's room, the other half coming to us. "Crap. It's more of those controlled duelists you were talking about."

Yusei readied his disk, "I'll keep these three busy. You go help Aki. She's in no condition to fight right now!"

I hesitated only for an instant, blowing past the trio and grabbing the collars of two of the ones after Aki just before they reached her room. I slammed them head first into the wall before charing into the room after the one that had made it in and locking the door behind me. Aki was face to face with the drone and trembling, clearly scared and uncertain. A ring of dark flame began to form so I acted fast, charging, shoving Aki out of the circle and becoming trapped myself.

She was shocked, "K-Koyou?"

"I'm here Aki! Nobody's going to hurt you as long as I'm here!" In the grand scheme of things, it was probably that moment and that very statement that changed my entire future.

The drone chuckled, "How noble! If you want to be plunged into the shadows so badly I will oblige!"

I activated my disk. I had no choice. I'm sure this magic of the game would punish attacking him physically and breaking the rules, "Duel!"

Koyou: 8000 vs Drone: 8000

I looked over my shoulder to Aki, "Aki, get under the bed, this could get dangerous." She quickly obeyed.

The drone drew, "I'll take the first turn! I set a monster then end my turn."

"Not that impressive."

"Just wait."

"I don't wanna." I drew, then went to work, "I deploy an old buddy to the field, Evocator Chevalier, to the field." The familiar crimson swordsman appeared, "Next I equip Supervise to him, granting him his effect! Through that effect I send Supervise to the grave to destroy your set monster. Now, I attack directly!"

"Hng!" the drone flinched.

"Two face downs ends my turn!"

Koyou: 8000 vs Drone: 6100

The drone drew, chuckling, "During my standby phase if I control no spells or traps I may revive Treeborn Frog from the grave." a little winged frog appeared and was promptly tributed. I wasn't afraid until I saw the monster he was summoning, "I tribute Treeborn Frog to summon Mobius the Frost Monarch! When Mobius is summoned I may destroy two spell or trap cards on the field! Your two face downs are plunged into an Ice Age!" my face downs shattered, "Now Mobius attacks Evocator Chevalier."

I flinched in the face of a large wave of ice, and glanced back to make sure Aki was being properly shielded by the bed. I noted the gash on my arm, but pushed the fact aside, "Am I going to put up with ice puns in this duel? Because if you say you 'put me in the deep freeze' at any point in this I'll just snap."

"I end my turn with a face down card."

"Good to know."

Koyou: 7500 vs Drone: 6100

I drew, and there was much to be happy about. "I summon Gemini Scorpion. His effect activates, bringing Tuned Swordsman from my hand. Next Spell Card: Armed Regeneration!" Tuned Magician burst in flames, "I select an equip in either player's graveyard and equip it to a monster I control. I select Supervise, turning Tuned Swordsman into a tuner. So I tune my level four Tuned Swordsman to my level four Gemini Scorpion! Come on out, Colossal Fighter!" the towering ivory titan appeared, the effect of Supervise reviving Evocator Chevalier, "Colossal Fighter has 2800 and gains 100 more for every warrior in my grave. Thanks to Supervise reviving my Chevalier, I have only two, so his attack is 3000. Colossal Fighter cracks down on Mobius!" my monster's giant hand came crushing down on the frost monarch. "Evocator attacks directly."

The drone was wounded, but didn't flinch.

"I activate Stranger's Compensation, offering Chevalier to draw two cards. The extra warrior in my grave adds 100 to my Colossal Fighter's attack. Turn end."

Koyou: 7500 vs Drone: 3600

"You think you can just win a slugging match and come out on top? You're good, I'll give you that, but you still too naive!"

"Says the guy with half my life points."

The drone grinned as he drew, "I activate my trap card: Splitting the Adam. I remove one monster with an even numbered level in my grave from play and summon two tokens, each with half that monster's level! I remove Mobius and summon two level 3 Split Adam tokens." to halves of a man appeared, each side had a name tag that read 'Hello my Name is Adam' and a shirt depicting an atom split in half at their division.

"That's not even really all that clever a pun..." I frowned.

The drone ignored me, "I'll summon the level three tuner Defender of the Ice Barrier!" an armored fox appeared, "I tune my level three Defender of the Ice Barrier with my two level 3 Split Adam tokens. Frozen spires erupts and purge the world of my enemies! Synchro summon! Eradicate, Trisula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!" A large three-headed silvery dragon filled the room, sheathing everything in ice, "When Trisula is summoned, I remove from play one monster on you field, grave, and hand."

"All three?"

"All three!" Colossal Fighter, Evocator Chevalier, and one random card of the two in my hand was removed, "Now, I attack you directly!"

"NO!" Aki, panicking, dove out from under the bed and tackled me to the ground, shielding me from the blast of ice, which blew her away from my and into the wall. She slid down, unconscious from the sudden impact. Her weakened condition probably didn't help things.

"AKI!" I yelled, rushing to heard side.

Koyou: 4800 vs Drone: 3600

The drone laughed, "That's what she gets for stepping into a Shadow Duel. Soon, all the Signers shall meet he same fate and be-" he stopped, "What is..."

My entire body felt like it was on fire. I didn't notice the ice around me melting. I didn't notice anything really, "I'll KILL you! IT'S MY TURN!" I drew, steam rising up around me, "Immediate spell: Burning Draw!"

"Immediate spell?"

"A spell so fast I immediately activates! Burning Draw reveals the top card of my deck. If it is a level four or lower monster it is special summoned to my field." I revealed the top card, "Another Tuned Swordsman is special summoned."

"So what? It's weak!"

"I raised up the card in my hand he had not removed from play, "I activate D.D.R. - Different Dimension Reincarnation!"

"WHAT? Of all the cards to have in your hand!"  
"It's not that strange for it to be in my deck. I rely on summons and Bottomless Trap Hole is is in nearly every deck. That aside, I offer Tuned Swordsman to special summon the card you did remove from my hand: Joan the Just Monarch!" A tall armored woman appered on my field, "The other effect of Burning Draw activates, since Tuned Magician was used as a material for a special summon, I add its attack points to Joan, increasin her attack from 2400 to 4300."

"What? NO! That's ridiculous!"

"It gets worse! I normal summon Joan to activate her effect! When she is second summoned I special summon one removed from play warrior-type monster."

"T-that means..."

Joan raised her arm in a rallying cry and Colossal Fighter answered, "Colossal Fighter returns and avenges himself my destroying Trisula!"

The drone recoils as he dragon was slain.

"Now I attack you directly!" I so badly wanted to kill the man... but at the last moment I recalled what Yusei had said about the other one he'd fought. It wasn't an enemy, it was a slave and couldn't control himself. I did my best to control my anger, and lauched the attack. I'd like to think my restraint was what kept the slash from Joan swords sown to merely a bad injury, rather than being cut in two.

Koyou: 4800 vs Drone: 0

Ignoring the drone as the duel ended, I crouched at Aki's side, "Aki! Aki! Wake up! AKI!"

Yusei came running in and was about to say something, but the drone got the last word in first, "Ha! This isn't over. This was just a distraction. Our true objective has fallen already. You won this battle, but can you really call this day a victory?"

Yusei looked at me with concern, "Koyou, while I was dueling I spotted a geoglyph appearing down the street. It was the sign of the monkey. It's gone now though."

"The monkey?" my entire body filled with dread.

"I don't want to worry you, but Mei isn't back from her errand yet."

Several emotions ran through my mind, but I had to prioritize, "We need to get Aki to a hospital, she got caught in the crossfire. We can worry about that when she's taken care of."

Deep down I think I felt it coming, but soon... everything would start falling apart.

Next Chapter: Blood and Betrayal

Set in stone events: The aftermath of this chapter, Aki confronts her pain, truths come out, and rifts slowly begin to form.


	4. Chapter 4

Episode 4: Blood and Betrayal

"Aki!" a very pleased and familiar voice greeted me as my eyes opened.

I blinked repeatedly, trying to clear my sight and my thoughts, "D-Divine?"

The voice sounded disappointed, perhaps even a little irritated, "No... It not Divine."

When I was fully conscious, I was stunned to see Koyou at my beside. He looked like he hadn't slept and needed a shave. He smelled a little too. It was like he hadn't left my bedside in days. I was shocked, "H-how long have you been there?"

He gave me an odd look, "I think you should be asking how long you've been out first. Do you realize your in a hospital?"

I looked around and I had some bandage on me, the room was quite large and well equipped. Clearly it was one of the better ones at the Neo Domino Medical Center. I didn't recall why at first, but then I remembered the attack. Koyou had come to defend me, saying he would never let anyone hurt me. Then... he was about to get hit with that huge attack. I'd been so afraid of losing someone else who had said that to me.

"Do you remember what happened?" he asked methodically, but I could hear the concern in his voice.

I nodded. For some reason I felt like crying.

"I'm sorry."

Surprised, I looked straight at him, "Why are you apologizing?"

"You got hurt because of me."

"That's not... you were protecting me. Getting hurt was my fault."

He shook his head, "No it was mine. I should have fought harder or acted faster. You shouldn't have needed to do anything then."

"I wanted to." I said, trying to reassure him, even if my motives for protecting him were an impulse, and a selfish one.

He looked me hard, with an intensity in his eyes I didn't fully understand at the time, "You did that because you didn't trust me to take care of things. I'll do whatever I need to do so that you'll change your mind."

I sat up on the other side of the bed facing away from him, "I don't need you I have..." Divine... no I didn't have Divine anymore. He'd died... Divine was dead! The only one that understood me wasn't in the same world anymore. Koyou walked around the bed and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, I rejected it, springing to my feet, "Don't touch me!"

He stood, an angry look on his face. I went to grab by duel disk and lash out at him, but I was too late. Koyou had slipped his arms around me and embraced me before I could do anything. I tried to resist, yelling at him to stop it and let me go, but he wouldn't budge. I started hitting him and clawing at him but he didn't yield an inch. Koyou just stood there and took it without a whimper until I lost my will to fight and just started crying in his arms. He said nothing. He simply was there for me, and let me get it all out. I'm not sure how much time had passed before I stopped crying and he let me slump back into a seated position, but his shirt was soaking wet from my tears. He didn't say anything even then. He just looked at me and waited for me to say something at my own pace.

"Why are you always like this? I nearly killed you, yet you're still like this."

Koyou seemed really uncomfortable with that question, "Does it bother you?"

I shook my head, "No... not really. I just don't deserve it."

He crouched down, looking me in the eye with such a pained expression on his face, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" I snapped at him.

"Everything you're going through would have been avoided if I'd been a littler faster or got Mei out of the way a little more prudently. I dove when I should have yanked and that caused everything."

I felt like crying again, "Don't blame yourself for that. If I didn't agree to duel her... if I hadn't been so arrogant..."

"Hey!" Koyou forced my attention back to him with a strong word and locked eyes with me, his expression was weighted and stern, but gentle, "We all made mistakes. Mei was blaming herself this whole time. No matter who is most responsible, that accident is in the past. It doesn't matter anyone. If you think the only one that would accept you is gone, then you're wrong."

"But I-"

"There's no buts about it. My parents never blamed you, my sister forgave you, and I wouldn't mind it even if you killed me a thousand more times. Didn't I tell you that at the Fortune Cup." he didn't seem to be lying, "Oh, and that battle damage thing was really a total accident. I didn't even no I could do that. It was the first time I've ever had power like that."

I'd nearly forgotten all about it, but his mentioning of it brought back that painful feeling, I flinched a little, but tried my best to shove the emotion aside, "I-I know, I realize that now... I was being stupid. I guess, you must have gotten some of Kai-sensei's power."

I frowned for some reason then shrugged, "I guess. I haven't really had time to ask him about it. What with being kidnapped and the Dark Signers and everything."

"Kidnapped?" When had that happened?

He stood up so he could sit beside me, "Aki, You remember how Divine came to the school a while back looking into the rumors of a psychic duelist?"

"He wanted to test you and Mei for powers. Your dad through him out. What does that have to do with anything?"

Koyou took a stick PDA out of his pocket, "This may be too soon, but he thought of you not knowing everything and mourning him makes me sick to my stomach."

"What are you talking about?"

Koyou handed the device to me, "Take your time and when you are ready for the truth, look at it. I took out the worst stuff, so keep that in perspective when you look it over."

"If you're trying to get me to hate Divine-"

He got angry, but was still gentle with me, "I could have made all that up or Divine could really be like that information. It all comes down to whether you trust me or him more."

"Koyou... Divine was... he was there for me when the whole world turned its back on me... He accepted me for who I am. Nothing can change that fact."

"If you're so sure then there's no harm in looking at it."

I handed it back to him, or tried to. "I want to keep my memories of him intact, is that so wrong?"

He got angrier, but still held it back, standing up sharply and looking at me. It was clear he was upset with me, "No, it's not alright. For anyone else you can mourn all you want, but not Divine. Not after all he's done. I can't let you mourn him."

"Koyou?"

"Just take you time, but don't cast it aside completely. You should know how much of a liar he was. If you don't trust that I'm right, then there's nothing I can say to convince you."

He started to leave, but I grabbed his hand. When I did he turned around suddenly, startled and pull back. His eyes were bewildered. I wasn't sure what to say, so I just said what came to mind, "Do you remember the day we met?"

He tensed, "I... uh... that's complicated, but I remember it well enough."

"You made me feel like such an idiot."

"I did?"

I smiled and nodded, "You came up with the idea of someone being my hands in a duel, since I couldn't duel without using my powers. It was so obvious. If my powers required I be in contact with the cards, all I had to do was not touch them."

"Seems logical enough."

"True." I looked at him, and smiled again at the good memory, "You offered to be my hands."

He blushed, "Sounds like something I'd say."

I stood up and faced him, "You were always so gallant. I really respected you."

Koyou strangely seemed to ponder that information before saying, "I never realized."

I nodded, "I really did... and I'll trust you." I held up the PDA, "I'll look at it... later. Right now I think I have some things to do. Some apologies to make..."

"To who?"

"You, your folks, Mei, maybe even..."

"Your folks?" he asked, making the obvious conclusion.

I cringed, "I don't think I'm ready for that..."

Koyou placed a hand on each of my shoulders, "I'll help."

I smiled, "Thank you... Koyou, I'm-"

"Nothing to apologize for." He smiled, "That aside, you're parents came to see you when they heard you were hurt. Do you want to...?"

I frowned, shrinking a little, "I... don't think I'm ready..."

He held my shoulders more firmly, reinforcing his earlier statements, "I'll help. It's pretty clear they love you. They were in that waiting room crying buckets and blaming themselves."

I went a little teary, and hugged him... actually I was trying to hide in his arms like Divine would let me do sometimes, but Koyou pushed me away quickly, being gentle, but stern.

"I said I would help you, but you shouldn't run. It will only hurt longer if you do. Do it lke a bandage. I promise you'll feel better once you hear them out."

I hesitated, but I'd promised to trust him again, so I nodded. He called a doctor in the give me a quick check, and then we went out to see my folks. They were so happy to see me, and spent most of the time telling me how sorry they were and how they would be better parents starting then. Koyou played therapist and made me tell them all my feelings. It was hard telling them how mad and sad I was, but I finally heard why they had been celebrating when I last saw them. It wasn't that they had been happy without me, its was simply because father had gotten a major education bill passed that he had been working on for years. All that time he'd been working so hard was nearing a conclusion so they were happy. He would still be busy, but it meant more time with his family. All that time he'd been working to reform the government funding system to increase funding for them. He was doing it for my sake the entire time.

I noticed Yusei come in and Koyou walked over to him immediately. I stepped away from my parents for a moment to see what was up. Koyou had a very concerned look on his face, "Any news?"

Yusei didn't look happy as he shook his head, "No. I've been looking all over the Damon Area for hours, but I can't get in the resisted area where the duel took place. We might have to go to Goodwin."

"I don't want that. He was funding some pretty bad stuff. All he wants is the power of the dragon for himself."

I looked to Yusei, "What's wrong?"

He looked to Koyou, surprised, "You didn't tell her?"

"Tell me what?"  
Koyou sighed, "She had a lot on her plate, I didn't want to add one more."

Yusei wasn't happy to hear that, "You can't just shield her from everything. The Dark Signers are after her too you know."

That had me worried, "What's this about Dark Signers?"

Koyou turned to me with a pained expression, "Mei's been missing for days. She hasn't gone home and she disappeared around the same time one of the same group that attacked the Movement was sighted."

"Koyou and I have been taking turns searching the area and watching over you."

I frowned, my mind wracked with worry, "I'm sorry, I'm slowing you down. If not for be you might have found her by now."

"Don't be silly." Yusei said assuring me, "You're not slowing anyone down. We're friends, friends take care of each other."

"Thank you." I blushed a little despite myself, "For everything... both of you I mean. Now I'll do my part and look around, with my Dad's connections we can probably organize a search party."

"No." Koyou said firmly, "No civilians."

"But Koyou, Mei might be hurt!"

He stood his ground, "Mei wouldn't want us to risk lives for her. If the Dark Signers are running around attacking people, the last thing we need is defenseless civilians going around the area _looking_ for them."

"You have a point." I had to admit.

Koyou turned to Yusei, "I guess the only option is Goodwin."

Yusei nodded in agreement.

Koyou thought hard about something, "Give me until tomorrow. I'll try one last time to find her and get back to you. After that, we can all go to Goodwin."

"I'm not sure we should wait, but I'll trust you, Koyou."

Koyou frowned, then took another PDA out of his pocket, handing it to Yusei, "If I'm not back back tomorrow morning look at this before going to Goodwin without me."

I didn't like the sound of that, "Why do you think you might not come back? Are you trying to find Mei or going after the Dark Signer?"

"Both."

Yusei shook his head, "Koyou, that's crazy, we should work together on this."

"I'm only going after the one. It's personal. Please understand Yusei. He probably killed or took my sister."

Yusei only thought about it for a second, then caved, "I understand. Don't make me have to look at this PDA Koyou. I never want to see a post mortum farewell from you."

He laughed, "I'm a walking post mortum, Yusei." looking to me he tried to reassure me, "Don't worry about a thing. I'm coming back. That message is just one of those cases of it being better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it."

I felt like crying.

"I thought you were going to trust me?"

He was right, I'd promised to trust him. I nodded, and he walked out the door. Yusei placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, "He'll be fine."

I nodded, "Thank you again. For everything. If it weren't for you I wouldn't have been able to trust him. I would have just thought everything he said was lies."

"We have to look out for each other. I couldn't just stand by while people were using you for what you are."

I remembered the PDA that Koyou had given me and took it out of my pocket. "Koyou gave me this, said it was the truth about Divine."

"Are you going to look at it?"

"Yes," I promised Koyou I would, I looked Yusei in the eye, "Would you look at it with me? I need to get my mind off of Koyou and Mei being in danger, but I don't want to face this alone."

Yusei smiled very slightly, "Sure. I'll be there for you."

We excused ourselves and went off to a private area of the waiting room, where I learned the turth of Divine's experiments of psychics, of his motivations, and what he truly thought of me. I was nothing but a tool to him. A tool for his own gain and amusement. I cried and Yusei comforted me. He was there for me like he promised.

"He said he loved me! He made me believe I could trust him!"

Yusei didn't say anything, he was just there for me.

"How could he... how could he do that to me?"

"Aki, I know it hurts, but you don't have to bear your pain alone anymore. Let it out. I'm here. There's a lot of people there for you."

I found myself more disgusted with myself than with Divine, "Why is it that I still can't hate him? Why can't I hate him?"

_A few days earlier, Mei's Perspective_

"Oi! Oi! Are you alright? Say something!"

I opened my eyes to the sound of a thick slums accent, but it was filled with concern, so it was fine. I forced myself to get up and faced the man. … He was cute. Despite the plethora of criminal marks on his face and his wild orange hair he was cute. A bit short, but good looking... and built strong. I shook those unimportant thoughts out of m head and tried to clear it. My head was throbbing like mad and I felt weak as a kitten.

"Where am I?"  
The man spoke, "I just fished you out of the Satellite harbor, from the look of you, you must have fallen into the bay and washed over here with the current."

That's right, I was dueling a Dark Signer, "You mean that bastard had the nerve to throw me in the bay?" Come to think of it... how was I even alive?

I tried to stand, but I didn't have the strength, plus I seemed to be pretty badly wounded, the man grabbed me as I fell, "Oi! Don't try and move around too much, you're pretty badly hurt. What happened to you?"

"Never mind that. I need to get back to the city."  
He laughed, "That's not going to happen, especially not in your condition."

"Then be a gentlemen and nurse me back to health, dammit!"

"He, don't snap at me. I'm the one that saved you remember?"

I'm slumped a bit and he supported, "Sorry. I just... really need to get back. I'm Mei, what's your name?"

"Crow Hogan."

Fate slapped me in the face, "Do you know Koyou?"  
"Yeah, he and I hung out a bit before he cleared the cup. He helped me fix my runner. Who is he to you."

"My brother, he's in danger." I leaned on the shorter man a bit more, "I need to get patched up so I can warn him."

Crow nodded, "I don't know what's up, but that's all the more reason to help you. You can explain once we get your wounds tended to. The orphanage isn't far from here. If I help you, can you walk?"  
"No." I admitted. Actually, thanks to the hypothermia I could barely feel my legs.

Crow sighed, but didn't hesitate to pick me up and carry me 'princess-style'. Even though I'm a girl and thus lighter for my size, I was astonished he could pick up someone a foot taller than him, "I'll just carry you."

I blushed a little despite myself. _Come to think of it, this Crow fellow has a really nice ass._

Next Chapter: Mark of the Monkey Part 1: Pain and Consequence.

Set in stone events: Koyou vs Dark Signer Koyou, the previous mentioned rifts between people.

Possible events: A meeting with Goodwin, a lemon (sex scene).


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: This chapter contains a gratuitous sex scene. If an expression of love between two consenting adults is too offensive for your tastes, then avoid it. There's a pretty clear indicator of when it starts and I'll try to follow it with a page break (which the site sometimes removes).

Episode 5: Mark of the Monkey Part 1: Pain and Consequence

_Aki's Perspective_

On the roof I watched the sun set with Yusei and looked out in the sky over the Damon Area for signs of one of those accursed marks. It was odd, waiting for something I didn't want to happen, but I was so scared for Koyou that I couldn't do anything else. We waited for hours for something to happen or for some word from our friend that he was coming back. It eventually came in the form of not a sign, but a phone call.

Yusei looked at his ringing cell, "It's Koyou."

"Thank god."

He answered, "Koyou. Are you calling it a night? It's past midnight." he listened, then replied, "Yeah, how'd you know we were watching the sky?" a pause, "Yeah, it does makes sense." another pause, "I don't like how you're saying that. What's on this thing anyway?" he listened, "Fine, I'll look at it." Hanging up, he turned to me, "He wanted us to go ahead and look at the PDA he gave me."

"The one he said to hold in case he didn't come back? Isn't he coming back?"

I didn't like the sad, slightly confused look on Yusei's face, he didn't get it either, "He said it was up to us after we watched it."

I wasn't sure what to think. What could he have to show us that would make him think we'd turn our backs on him?

Yusei pulled out the device, "I think it's better if we just take a look. We'll understand what's bothering him then."

He turned it on, and a video of Koyou appeared, "This is a message... from a man who had no idea who he is."

What?

"I'm not sure if I'm who you've thought I was this entire time or if I'm just an impersonation. I can't leave things like they are and go off after that guy. If I fall, then you'd all get the wrong idea. You'd face that Dark Signer and see my face."

"What in the world?" Yusei went wide-eyed.

"But that's not me... whoever I am. Let's start with the solid facts. Three years ago, Aki killed Koyou Kou. He legitimately died. He was confirmed dead. Aki ran away from school in guilt and Divine took the chance to lure her into his clutches. However that isn't all he stole."

Footage was displayed of a body, Koyou's, being loaded into a tube.

"Divine dug up the body of Koyou Kou, and in a bid to seize the power of the Crimson Dragon used Koyou's unique genetic code to create five fake Signers." the footage changed to five identical Koyous, panning across tattoos on their backs, "Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and the final clone..." the video switched back to Koyou, who pulled up his shirt and showed the tattoo on his back, "Omega."

I gasped. Yusei couldn't believe it either, "He's a clone?"

Tears came to my eyes, "He... he was lying to me! He pretended he-"

Yusei grabbed my shoulder, "Hear him out before you judge him, you owe him that."

Koyou continued, footage cutting to an accident, the tube with the original Koyou exploding and the body, bearing the mark of the monkey, killing its way out of the lab. Another tube shorted out and the glass shattered, the one marked Omega began freaking out, screaming in terror and seeming confused as to where he was. "One day, Koyou Kou rose as a Dark Signer. I somehow became self-aware at the same time." more footage showed Omega escaping, "In a near rabid, barely coherent state I broke out of the lab and built an imitation of the original Koyou's deck. I ended up in Satellite with no idea who I was. I remembered the name Koyou, remembered a family that wasn't really mine, and as I searched for them and found them, I remembered feelings that I'd never had. I met people I'd known and recalled even more feelings I technically never had. I felt them all the same. I had no right to live as Koyou Kou, or to try and save his friend Aki, but I so desperately wanted to. When I awoke to that strange power and was taken back to the lab I learned what I was. I want to believe that I'm some kind of clone reincarnation. There's no other explanation for what memories I've recovered, why I feel the same things for the same people. I've lied, covering up what I am, but my feelings for all of you were never a lie. I meant everything I said to all of you. I really did." He looked straight into the camera. "I don't know who I am. So I have to face this Dark Signer. I have to see if he's the real thing or if he's just an empty vessel. Otherwise I have no right to call you my friends or to have these feelings for you all. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I made this recording, as I said, in case I fail. I don't want to hurt any of you anymore. I'm sorry I'm not Koyou. If this is my last chance to say it, then goodbye. I really... I really cared about all of you, and Aki... I..." he struggled with his words then shut off the recorder.

Yusei turned to me, "What do you think?"  
I honestly didn't know, but... "Call him back and tell him he can come back."

Yusei dialed with a smile, "Koyou. That was an awful lot to put on us at once." he paused, smiling, "Come on back, buddy, we'll talk about it here." pause, "Personally I don't need any convincing, you're the only Koyou I know." pause, "Aki?" he glanced at me, "Talk to her in person. You shouldn't be afraid to face her with this." pause, "Well I can't blame you. It would be hard to admit all that for me too. Just come on back." He smiled and hung up the phone.

I turned and walked back towards the door that lead back down into the building. "I'm going back to my room. I have some thinking to do before he gets here."

"Should I send him straight to you?"  
I smiled, "Yeah, I think I mostly know what I want to say." I turned and continued on, then remembered, "Oh, they moved me to a smaller room since I stabilized. I'm on the third floor Room 1984."

"Right."

It wasn't a long trip and I sat on my bed waiting and hoping Koyou would not run into his Dark Signer counterpart before I could talk with him. I'm not entirely sure how much time had passed before the knock on my door came and I told Koyou he could come in, but I smiled as he inched in hesitantly. He seemed sort of small and cute in his uncertainty, but the doubt and self-consciousness ruined it. I slid over and patted the bed beside me, signaling that he could sit there. He did so without saying anything.

I could only chuckle, "Lots to process today."

"Sorry."

I looked at him and smiled, "Koyou, who you are isn't something I need to think about."

He seemed a little shocked.

"However it happened, you're back from the dead. You're you, you act like you, you talk like you, you duel like you, you _feel_ like you." I grabbed his hand, "I was conflicted, but being around you makes me certain. There's no way you are anything but Koyou."

"But I'm a clone. This could all be the byproduct of copying the real thing."

I shook my head, "No matter what you think, the real Koyou would never become a Dark Signer. There's not an evil bone in your body. A hot-blooded one maybe," I teased, "but not evil."

"What if you're wrong and I'm not the real thing? What if he is the real Koyou?"

"What have you been doing this whole time you've been self-aware?"

"Looking for the truth."

"And helping people." I corrected, "I see the way Yusei respects you and likes you. He cares a lot about you. You earned that right? Plus, you did all this, went through so much just for me. You're so kind you'd throw your body away for someone who killed you."

"You didn't do that on purpose."

I hugged him, "You're the real thing. I know it in my heart. Nobody else could be you. Don't ever doubt that you're anything but one of a kind."

He hesitated in returning the hug, but did so, "Thanks..."

I hid from the world in his arms, thinking back to all I had learned of Divine, "I can't believe the Divine I knew was capable of things like this."

"You didn't know the real him."

I held Koyou tighter. "He said he loved me... that I was special."

"Well one out of two isn't bad." he quipped.

I chuckled, even though his compliment was little consolation. Tears still came to my eyes, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing, silly?"

I pulled away from him and looked deeply into those caring eyes and looked at his blushing face, then held him again, too ashamed to look him in the eye. My voice quivered as I asked him, "Koyou, are you in love with me?"

The tensing and his body and the catch in his throat revealed the truth, "T-that's... I... I don't deserve to love you."

I pulled away again and glared at him, "Don't you ever doubt yourself, Koyou. I told you that. You're real. I know you're real."

He couldn't look me in the eye, "I-"

"Koyou," I said, cutting him off, "What is love? What does it feel like?"

He blushed, "It's hard to convey in words."

"Then convey it through action."

Taken aback, he looked me in the eyes and blushed even redder in shock, "Aki?"

"I want to know what love really is, and I want you to show me. Show me what a kiss from someone who really loves me feels like."

He froze, his emotions overloaded. I briefly thought there was a chance of steam rising from him. I came in close to him, tears flowing out of my eyes, "I gave away my first kiss to a liar. Take it back."

"I-I've never done that before so..."

I looked deeply into his eyes and he shut up, kissing me very gently so he wouldn't do it too hard by mistake, I increased the pressure a little, and guided his lips into the proper position using my own. He took over then, our tongues touching each other lightly and then dancing over each other as instinct took control. He embraced me, his hands moving down my shoulders and over my body as he embraced me. It felt good. It was a totally different experience than Divine's greedy kisses. Divine only took, Koyou only wanted to give. Koyou really was taking my first kiss back. His kiss was a true one, all the other ones weren't really kisses, not compared to that. No other kiss before that washed through my body like a rush of soothing fire.

I ended the kiss, both of us were panting, I was crying. Koyou seemed confused, ashamed, as if he'd done something wrong, "Why are you crying?"

I smiled and wiped away my tears, "You really love me. You love me so much."

"And that makes you sad?"

I shook my head, "No... I'm just ashamed of the fact I'm not... I don't deserve your love. I'm not..."

"You're not...?"

"I'm not a virgin anymore." I hid in his arms, burying my face in his neck, "I should have given it to you, but I just threw it away to the first one that said he loved me. I'm sor-"

Koyou pull me away and kissed me firmly, I caught myself thinking it was my second kiss, as if I were an innocent teenage girl. That fire raced through me, building up a earning deep inside that took over my senses. I couldn't feel anything, see anything, or ever smell anything other than Koyou.

I ended the kiss again, pulled him close, and whispered, "Take back my first time."

He tensed again, trembling. It was cute. "I... um... I'm a... I don't know exactly what to do..." he laughed at himself.

I looked him in the eyes, all my doubts and inhibitions gone, "Anything you want."

He blushed and I looked down. Koyou was already ready to go. I reached to undo his pants but he pushed my hands away, kissing me. His hands slid down my back and grabbed the back of the hospital-issued dress I was wearing, pulling it over my head. He moved back and looked at me in my frilly white underwear, his eyes wide in appreciation. I grew embarrassed at his lewd expression and how it made me feel and hid my bosom with my arms. He pulled them away and pushed me to my back on the bed with a kiss.

I expected it to go like it always did with Divine, who would always go straight to my breasts at that point, but Koyou kept kissing me instead, nuzzling and sucking on my neck, even nibbling a little. The new sensation sent ripples of pleasure through my body, which built in my loins. The yearning for him grew even strong as his hands drifted over my naked skin very lightly, barely touching. It tickled, and there was strange eroticism in that. I squirmed and quivered in response. Every tingle of enjoyment seemed to make Koyou respond with more, and more hungrily. It was like he was feeding off of my pleasure. He was getting pleasure from giving it. He loved me. We weren't having sex, even so early on I could already tell the difference from every other time I'd been with someone. It was sex, we were making love.

His hands reached my breasts and he grabbed them a little too roughly in his excitement. I whimpered and he adjusted immediately, softly massaging them through my bra and kissing my neck, kissing me. His manhood pushing against his pants rubbed between my legs, as our our hips instinctively gyrated together. He paused to take off his shirt.

It was then I saw the scars our battle had left on his chest, filled with regret, I ran my fingers across the long gashes, trying to take from him the pain I had inflicted. I found my hands wandering to his pants again and undid them, and he threw them aside, leaving us both in our underwear.

Koyou wrapped his arms around me tightly, our bodies meshing together like they were always meant to be that way. He kissed me deeply, again and again. I tired too roll on top, to give some pleasure as he was giving me, but he refused. He wouldn't let me. He ran his gentle touch from my neck and moved down, one finger sliding teasingly down each breast until he reached the hook of my bra, which he undid, freeing my bosom from the confinement. They heaved up and down with my heavy breathing and he indulged himself with them, messaging them with instinctively perfect technique that made me tremble with ecstasy. He stumbling across the fact that the nipples were more pleasurable for me, and began to suck on one, toying with the other using his fingers. He explored things that would make me feel even better, experimenting on my nipple with his lips, licking it, sucking and licking, and finally.

"Ah!" I let out a yelp of pleasure as he gently nibbled on it, barely touching it with his teeth enough for pressure. Actually it was more like I squeaked. No one had ever done that to me before and my body wasn't prepared for the sensations it brought. "Ah! Ah! That! Ah!"

He mixed it up, sucking and nipping on it randomly to keep up the enjoyment, he switched the other, then kissed me as he toyed with both with his hands. Our lower regions grinding together through our underwear. My mind went a bit blank... and shut off completely for an instant as something that had never happened before swept through my body. I could think, I couldn't control any aspect of myself, I could only feel pure unbridled euphoria.

"Oh... oh... oh god!" I stared to moan loudly, but Koyou sealed off my cry of pleasure with a kiss as he continued to work my body. _What is this? What is this feeling? It's so... Is this an orgasm? __We haven't even... OH GOD!_

My whole body spasmed with delight and Koyou seemed to love it, his breathing getting heavier and the lewd look growing even more driven. His lips explored my writhing body, kissing and tonguing, hungrily searching for my was to induce ecstasy. He found it at my belly button, which surprised me how much his gentle kisses and hot breath could do to me with it.

I'd never experience foreplay, much less so much and such good foreplay. He wasn't even finishing playing with me, as he got an idea. He pulled my arm gently, and I let him guide me to seated position. He moved behind me and started working both of my breasts from behind as his kissed and nibbled my neck. From where he was I was totally defenseless, and he could reach any part of me. That fact added to my enjoyment. He added even more when his moved his left hand down my body and into my panties. He stroked me down there, again exploring a experimenting with ways to pleasure me. I impeded his erotic research by orgasming again the second he touched me down there.

_Again... again? Already? I've orgasmed twice and we haven't... AH!_

I stopped thinking at all, I couldn't bear it, I couldn't bear it at all anymore. It felt too good and a couldn't stop the spasms coursing through me on an ocean of pleasure. I barely realized that he had turned me unto my back, I was too busy orgasming again. I did notice though we he entered me, gently thrusting his manhood inside of me on the peak of the orgasm, pushing me past all previous concepts of euphoria. I'm pretty sure I went completely out of my mind for a few moments. I opened my mouth, I was going to let out a scream of pleasure but it was to big, it got trapped somewhere and couldn't escape.

As his manhood throbbed within me our his moved on instinct, grinding and pulling back and forth. He thrust again and again and again. Gently at first, slowly at first, then gradually harder and faster.

He could barely speak himself, "Aki... Aki it's so good... its feels so good!"

I squeaked, unable to form coherent words, "Y... Yu... Yu... Yus-"

I nearly screamed again as another wave of pleasure passed over me but he sealed it again with a kissed until it passed then broke it, not missing a beat with his thrusts. It felt like he was about to explode inside of me, but I didn't care. I wrapped my legs around him, trapping him, not letting him end things. Eternity wouldn't me enough of him.

"Aki... can't... hold it... I'm going to..." I rode a wave of satisfaction into a higher plane and my grp on him slacked, he pulled out mid-climax, collapsing beside me.

We held each other, saying nothing. Nothing needed to be said. Several moments later, he regained his breath and spoke, "That was my first time."

I smiled, holding him tighter, "Me too."

As with the kiss, it felt like the truth. Nothing Divine had ever done to me deserved to be in the same category as what Koyou and I had done that night. Regardless of everything that was about to happen and what has happened since, I will never regret that night we spent together.

(A/N: Pardon me while I go take a cold shower.)

* * *

_Koyou's Perspective_

I woke up in Aki's arms, but the moment was ruined by the fact that I was woken up by an earthquake and a strange yellow light. It was still three A.M. So it was pretty clear what the light was coming from. Aki stirred and looked out the window, gasping. I was quickly out of bed and getting dressed. She followed suit.

"Koyou. It's him isn't it? That Dark Signer with your body?"

I nodded, then put my shirt on, heading out the door. I knew where he was. It would be where I'd go if I was going to attack. My assumption proved correct. He was on the roof, grinning like a mad fool. Yusei and Aki caught up to me almost immediately, and I motioned for them to stay back, "He'd mine."

The Dark Signer chuckled, "Well, if it isn't the imposter! I was going to strike early but when I realized you and my girl were getting it on I figured I'd be polite and let you finish before I ripped your thing off and fed it to you."

I noticed Yusei 's face go black at hearing that Aki and I had slept together. It was a strang reaction, but it wasn't news to me that he was interested in her.

But I had other things to worry about, "She's not your girl. _You_ are the imitation! What did you do to Mei?"

"Hm? You mean that bitch that chose you over me? I beat her within an inch of her life and threw her in the bay. She's probably food by now."

Aki gasped, I growled, "You bastard! You killed my sister?"  
"WRONG! I killed _my_ sister!" he roared, "You have some damn nerve, stepping into my shows and taking everything that belongs to me! I was trying my hardest, fighting the dark impulses these marks force into my brain, while you were having a fun little ole time stealing my life from me! I was watching you during the cup, putting the moves on Aki. I showed my love, proving my feelings for her by punishing the ones that were cruel to her, like I used to."

Aki gasped, "So it was you! You were the one that killed my opponents from the cup?"

He nodded, "But in the end it was pointless. If they like you so much that they cast me aside then fine! They can have you! I'll make so you can all be together forever, with everyone you love."

Suddenly, several pieces fell into place, "You... you're attacking now because Aki's family and all our friends are here."

He grinned, "That's right. The very moment I summon my Earhtbound Immortal everyone any of you care about will have their souls sacrificed to the wicked god Cusillu! When that happens, it will be _all your fault_ for not stopping it."

Aki gasped, "My parents!"

"Exactly!"

She tried to run downstairs and warn them, but the door slammed shut, wreathed in dark fire, "Nobody leaves."

I glared, "You're out of your min if you think I'm going to duel you knowing that."

A ring of fire surrounded the edge of the building, "YOU DON"T HAVE A CHOICE!"

Aki called to me so I turned to her, "Koyou! Don't doubt yourself at all! This proves he's just playing with us! The Koyou I know would never do this! The real Koyou held back his emotions for an entire year because he didn't think I could care for him. He still helped me. When I killed him, he just came back and kept helping me, kept loving me no matter how many times I rejected him! That's the Koyou I remember! That's you! The real thing!"

Yusei nodded, "If you're any hint of the real thing, then the real Koyou could never be anything like that bastard! You're the real thing. You've proven that time and again to everyone! So forget all this clone nonsense and get that jerk that thinks he can get away with wearing your face!"

I nodded, resolved, then turned and activated my duel disk.

"Duel!"

Next Chapter: Mark of the Monkey Part 2: Fear and Resolution

Set in Stone events: Koyou vs Dark Signet Koyou.


	6. Chapter 6

Episode 6: Mark of the Monkey Part 2: Fear and Resolution

"Duel!"

Koyou: 8000 vs Dark Signer Koyou: 8000

The dark-robed duplicate of myself standing across from me drew a card, chuckling as the mark of the monkey glowed on his arm. My own fake signer mark throbbed at the very presence of a Dark Signer, "We'll see if the faith of the friends you stole is well placed or not! It's my turn and I start off with my Mausoleum of the Emperor field spell!"

The area was converted into a massive tomb, the area beneath us being filled with stone statues.

"This field spell let's us both pay life points in increments of 1000 in place of tributes. I pay 1000 life points to summon Prime Material Dragon from my hand. After that I end with a face down."

Koyou: 8000 vs Dark Signer Koyou: 7000

I drew, "Unfortunately, I don't have anything that can cut that monster down to size, so I'll bring out Dual Gardna in attack mode and end with two face down cards."

The dark me drew, "One turn closer to letting everything your friends care about die. I'm disappointed, you didn't even try on your turn. Well, it's too late now. I activate my face down. Fatal Abacus. With this, every time either of us sends a monster from the field to the grave, we lose 500 life points. On that note, I activate the spell card Foolish Burial to send one monster from my deck to the grave. I choose Manticore of Darkness. Now, I lash out at your Dual Gardna with Prime Material Dragon."

A gout of golden flame cut through my monster and into my life points. I was really burned a little, and his Fatal Abacus cut even further into me, "Yagh." I activated a trap, "Trap card open! Desperate Tag. When an attack position monster I control of destroyed this special summons a warrior monster to take it's place. I summon Gemini Scorpion! His effect brings Evocator Chevalier with him. Also, since you destroyed Dual Gardna, I can send a gemini from my deck to the grave. Future Samurai in this case."

The dark me laughed, "One more face down and my turn is over. However I discard the Manticore of Darkness in my hand to special summon the one I sent earlier. Then I tribute that one to revive the one I discarded. Handy effect. I can continue this loop indefinitely."

Instead of draining his life, the effect of Fatal Abacus restored his life instead. Aki was confused, "Wait, why did he just gain life?"

The dark me smiled, "Well darling, that's the benefit of Prime Material Dragon. He turns deal into heal. So I can gain near infinite life with this loop!"

"So that's the trick you beat Mei with." I activated a face down, "Thanks for pointing out the spot to hit. Quick-play spell card: Gemini Spark! With this I tribute Evocator Chevalier and destroy on card on your field. I take out Prime Material Dragon!" The crimson knight became lightning and struck down on the dragon, "Handily, I also draw a card."

"You... you bastard!"

Koyou: 7100 vs Dark Signer Koyou: 7500

"My turn. I draw!" I did so, "When I control no spells of traps I can special summon Dual Gardna from the graveyard. Next, I pay 2000 life points to activate the effect of your field spell. That's right, I summon Phoenix Gearfried with no tributes! Worth the cost when I'm inflicting much more. Phoenix Gearfried slays your Manticore and my other two monsters rush in for direct attacks!"

"GAAHH!" the dark signer's life points were torn to pieces.

"Turn end."

Koyou: 5100 vs Dark Signer Koyou: 4000

Strangely, after he drew he started chuckling, "Not fast enough. It's over now. I pay 2000 life points and it's a_ll your fault_!"

"Wait! DON'T!"

He raised a card high above his head, the monkey mark in the sky began taking in souls from the area, Aki parents almost certainly among them. She hit her knees screaming and crying in sorrow as the mark came crashing down with the play of the the card, "I offer these wretched souls to summon Earthbound Immortal Cusillu!" A giant, somewhat comical-looking black monkey appeared towering over us, even though we were on a building and it was standing on the ground. It sported 2800 attack, "Earthbound Immortal Cusillu can attack you directly!"

"What?" a huge fist came down straight at me, I barely managed to dodge but was still assailed by falling debris. As I fell to the ground I saw Yusei shielding Aki and getting a battering for his trouble, an errant chunk of ceiling striking him in the forehead and knocking him unconscious. "Yusei!"

Aki crawled to his prone form and cried even harder, calling him in a terrified voice, desperately trying to wake him up, "YUSEI! YUSEI! Please! Please wake up!"

Koyou: 2300 vs Dark Signer Koyou: 4000

I was one-shot from death. Plus the next shot would probably finish Yusei and Aki as well. I struggled to my hands and knees, seething with anger. He'd probably killed Mei, he'd killed many of my friends, he killed Aki's parents just after they were reunited. He hurt Yusei and was going to kill the three of us if I didn't stop him. No... I didn't just want to stop him... I didn't even want to kill him. Death wasn't satisfying enough. My whole body, every cell, burned with the lust for destruction. My arm felt like it was going to rip itself to pieces.

Aki grabbed her mark, her face twisting in agony, "AH! What... what is this feeling? It hurts... it hurts so much!"

He laughed at me, "Kneeling before me won't do you any go- Wait... WHAT?"

The ground around me was burned black, and the scorched area kept growing wider, smoke and stick rising from the burning cement. The heat of the stone softened the rubber souls onf my shoes and burned my hands. I stood, my entire body sheathed in golden flame that blazed hotter has I roared, "I'LL MOTHER FUCKING KILL YOU!"

Aki yelping as the scorched ground singed her and she tried to pull Yusei out of the area depsite the pain in her arm. He stirred, clutch his own arm in pain, "Such... anger. It... ahh!"

I couldn't process anything that was going on, other than my desire to obliterate, "IT'S MY TURN! I DRAW!" I placed my hand to my deck and drew, the very motion of the draw slashing out oat my enemy with a blade of fire that cut across his chest and continued past him gashing the side of the neighboring building and shattering dozens of windows. "IMMEDIATE SPELL: BURNING DRAW!"

The dark me stepped back, grabbing his chest, "How? How can you have the power of the Light of Destruction? This vessel was the next in line for it! You're just a clone!" He shoved that aside and grinned, "It doesn't matter! Whatever that card summons, I only have Cusillu on my field and you can't declare an attack on an Earthbound Immortal! You can't challenge a god! I'm invincible!"

I revealed the top card of my deck, Blazewing Butterfly was special summoned as a result, "I TRIBUTE BLAZEWING TO REVIVE FUTURE SAMURAI WITH HIS EFFECT!" I removed the Blazewing in my grave from play to fuel that effect, "I SPIT IN THE FACE OF GODS!"

My samurai lashed out, splitting the so-called god in two, my counterpart couldn't believe it, "No! That's impossible!"

I pointed at him, grinning sadistically, eyes wide with madness, "FUTURE SAMURAI ATTACKS YOU DIRECTLY!"

A slash across the chest wasn't enough to finish the duel or satisfy my lust, "Gah!"

I glared at him, "Not enough. NOT ENOUGH! Destroying you isn't enough! If I wiped out every single cell of you with such intensity that every atom in you cried out in agony, it would not be enough! So I'll put my entire being behind this strike! TAKE THIS! MY PASSION! MY ANGER! AND _ALL OF MY SORROW_! FALLING CUTTER!" Phoenix Gearfried slashed at my enemy, the sheer magnitude of the attack tearing a gash in the floor and blasting away the ground beneath the target's feet, "Die! Die! DIIIIIIIIIIEEEEE! A THOUSAND TIMES DIE!" the Dark Signer was burned away from the middle out, and the massive attack took the corner off the building behind him."

Koyou: 2300 vs Dark Signer Koyou: 0

With that, the rush of power left me and I felt a tide of agony sweep through my skull, it was like my brain was exploding. Images, faces, events, everything came flooding in at once. I clenched my head from the sheer pain of it. "GAAHHH!"

I collapsed and Aki left Yusei's side to check on me, "Koyou! What's wrong? What was that fire? What's going on?"

The pain, the memories kept flowing. I remembered my father doting over Mei and I as little ones, but stepping aside and simply watching over us when we grew old enough. I remembered Mei and I having an adventure in a cave at 12 that seemed awesome at the time but was terribly mundane in retrospect. I remembered meeting Aki for the first time and falling in love almost right away. I remembered the resentment growing for my sister over what felt like her keeping Aki away from me, I remembered the pain of my death. I remembered everything. When it finally passed, I struggled not to black out. Words barely mumbled from my lips. I wanted to tell my love that I remembered what I had lost, that all my doubts were gone, that I was the real thing for sure.

"What was that? I can't understand Koyou. Speak up!"

But there was only darkness.

I woke up some time later in a hospital bed, with my mother looking over me. She forced a smile as she noticed I was awake, but it quickly vanished, "You're finally awake. You've been out for two hours."

I shot upright, "Is everyone okay? Where's Aki?"

"Aki's fine, and she's just checking on Yusei, he got a mild concussion during the battle. Everyone's totally fine. I mean everyone. When you defeated the Dark Signer everyone came back. Otherwise I wouldn't be here."

"You were around?" I bit my lip, "I almost lost you too."

She held my hand, "Look at the bright side, at least Mei is sure to be alright now."

"You knew about that?"

"I'm not as out-of-the-loop on things as you might think. Your Dad's powers let him sense her losing, but she's been alive this whole time."

"Really? She's okay?"

Mom nodded, "Her own power saved her. Darkness can't destroy itself after all."

"What are you talking about?"

She looked down at my hand and the mark there, "It's complicated, but let's just say the two of you inherited some of your father's abilities. It should be your Dad explaining this to you, not me."

"Where is he then?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen him since he went off to look for Mei a few days ago. He's been distant since you were kidnapped to be quite honest. I'm not sure what to make of it. Your father hasn't been like this for a long time, and back then, it wasn't a good sign."

"I get the feeling you guys have been keeping things from us. You never expalined the source of Dad's ability to manifest cards. You just made it clear he wasn't the same as Aki. That Dark Signer said something about the Light of Destruction."

Mom stroked my mark. "Like I said, your father should explain that... it's his responsibility after all."

"Responsibility? You're not making any sense."

She looked at me, nearly crying, "Koyou, the main battle against the Dark Signers is approaching. This was just a warm-up. You're a part of that whether or not I like it. This mark is man-made but fate created the circumstance. This is destiny. You've been chosen."

"How in-the-loop are you exactly? I never explained the mark to you."

"I talked with Aki about it. You were lab-grown but you still have my son's spirit. Your dad confirmed it when you first came back to us. That power you have is proof that you have Koyou's soul You are the real thing." she looked at my mark again, glaring at it as if she hated it, "It's fate."

"I'm not a signer though."

She started crying for some reason, "You wouldn't be. That's not your fate. It wasn't your father's either. Kous aren't the heroes, they are just there making victory possible."

"Try to make some sense. What are you talking about?"

"The Signers and Dark Signers are all chosen ones. You are neither, but you clearly are a chosen one. A third party chose you. This mark being on you arm makes that almost a certainty."

"A third party."

She nodded, "The universe. It's happened countless times by my understanding. When the two facets of reality – light and darkness – war, there is a need for an enforcer. To prevent chaos, a chosen is selected to help the side of good destroy the forces of the side twisted by evil. Its a cycle. This time darkness is evil, it was light last time, darkness the time before that. The balance of the universe tipping back and forth endlessly. This battle between signers is just a part of a larger cycle of the universe. Without the third chosen, the imbalances would throw the world into chaos. I've already seen the effects of a third failing before."

"So you're saying I'm chosen to help the Signers destroy the Dark Signers."

She started crying more intensely, "Maybe. I don't know. There's a complication."

"What?"

"Only one is supposed to exist at a time. If this time it's you then..." she wiped her eyes, "Your father didn't want to say anything to me, but I think he realizes its possible too."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

She nodded, "If you are the chosen of order for this war, then it means your father might die."

I was struck silent by the grim news. A knock on the door broke up the conversation. Mom gave permission to enter and Aki stepped into the room, smiling wide at the fact I was awake, "Am I interrupting?"

Mom smiled, noting Aki's discomfort, "Not really. Come on in."

Putting aside everything, I had many thigs to be happy about, "I'm glas you too talked and resolved things. I'm sure Aki ws terrified of facing you after what happened."

Mom nodded, "She was the adorable little meek girl just like she used to be, but I'm not mad at her anymore." she grinned, "Now three years ago I was ready to rip out her spleen and feed it to her, but everything's fine now."

Aki laughed uncomfortably, grabbing my other hand, "I'm so happy everything can go back to normal. Once this Dark Signer mess is over we can all start over."

"Yeah." I smiled, squeezing her hand tightly.

Mom picked up on the atmosphere and excused herself, "I'll let you two be alone. We can talk more later Koyou. I love you."

"Ditto, Mom."

Aki smiled as we were left alone, "That's great. So's the news that Mei is probably fine now."

I nodded, "How is Yusei? And your parents?"

"Totally fine. Yusei's only got a mild concussion and my parents are just shaken up. You got their souls back. Thank you."

I kissed her, "No thanks required. The were only in danger because he was after me to begin with. I shouldn't have led him to the hospital."

"Don't blame yourself." she climbed onto the bed and into my arms, "It's the Dark Signers doing these things, not you."

I held her close, "I love you, Aki, I won't let any of them harm you."

Aki fidgeted in my arms, changing the subject, "Later today, when the sun is up Yusei is taking us to talk to Goodwin about his mess. We can decide what we need to do after getting more information, but I'm pretty sure I want to help."

"Huh?"  
"I need answers too Koyou, one of them was named Misty. She was after me. She says I killed her brother."

"That's a bad habit you have." I teased.

She smacked me hard, "I'm don't remember it! I need to find out what she meant, if I really did hurt someone, not remembering isn't right."

"I see. Well, I'll be there for you."

She held me tighter. "For now, can we just forget the entire world. Even if just for a little while?"

"Sure."

I kissed her deeply, and she kissed me back. In that bed, in each others arms, we forgot the world for a while.

Next Chapter: Battleground


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry for the long delay, I had a bit of trouble with the first half, in the end decided to skip the meeting with Goodwin and leave it to "it happened like it did in canon". I'm updating regularly again, but I can't guarantee the same rate as before. Also, fair warning: this chapter and the next are particularly dark.

Episode 7: Darkness and Loss

"There's no guarantee he'll tell us the whole truth." I warned Yusei as we got out of the car Goodwin had sent for us.

He replied plainly, "I know he won't, but its not like we have any choice but to count on him. We can't go in blind."

"True." I sighed and we marched towards the doors of the massive mansion. I happen to notice something unsettling as we walked. Aki was standing next to Yusei... on the complete other side from where I was. Worse was how close she was standing. She was pretty much hanging on him. Just an inch closer and she'd be pressing her body against him.

She leaned in a little, "Yusei, are you really sure about this? Didn't this guy kidnap your friends, and fund Divine's experiments? Is it alright playing into his hands?"

"I doubt he'll do anything to hurt Koyou while we are there." Yusei assured her.

Aki was taken aback slightly and glance at me, as if she'd forgotten I was there... I had to be reading too much into it though. After all, we had become lovers the night before. In her words, I had 'taken back' her virginity from that liar Divine. She had asked _me_ to do that, not Yusei. Then again, had she ever said that she loved me?

"Yusei, I see you're taking Goodwin's bait." a husky and forceful voice I recognized called my attention to the door ahead of us. It was there that Jack Atlas, the King of Turbo Dueling that Yusei had dethroned and his former friend, was waiting. "You're more of a fool than I thought."

"So I hear, but you're here as well, Jack, and despite everything I'm glad you are. We all need to be on the same side if we're going to deal with these Dark Signers."

Jack scoffed, "I never said I was on your side. I'm on my own side. We just happen to have the same goal."

I sighed, "This is hardly the time for ego or regrets, so curb both, Jacky-boy."

The former champion scowled at me and looked me over, noting the mark on my arm. He turned to Yusei and pointed at me, "The fifth?"

"No." I replied, "Sixth if anything, but that's a long story."

"I imagine it must me."

He eyed me, and it was easy to tell the thought processes running through his head. He had been struck by my seemingly unfounded inclusion of 'regrets' in my early reprimand, and got a strange feeling about me. It only took him a moment for him to decide to tolerate my presence, likely based on my forthrightness about my mark not being the fifth. Actually, it was probably not trusting me at all. In fact I'm sure it wasn't that at all. It was more that, despite everything, he trusted Yusei completely. It was clear from his body language and how he glanced at Yusei as certain thoughts visibly went through his mind. Having heard the tale of Jack's betrayal, I wasn't surprised Jack would trust Yusei. After all, when given a choice between his precious card and runner (not to mention a path to the city) and a friend, Yusei had chosen his friend without hesitation. Jack, like everyone else, gravitated to Yusei.

Thinking about it, at the time Jack and I probably had more in common than I would have liked to admit. We both understood how Yusei drew others to him naturally without even trying, and both of us were envious of that. Yes... Even then I knew I was jealous of Yusei, even if I didn't want to admit it to myself. He was probably my best friend in the world at the time. We had a special connection, a strange chemistry that transcended words, the kind of friend you only find once and only if you are blessed by the gods of fate... and part of me hated him. Actually, it was probably just moments before that I had started hating him... or maybe the night before when I noticed his strange reaction to finding out Aki and I were lovers... or maybe it was when I heard that Yusei had been able to reach her when I couldn't... then again, maybe that part of me had always hated him.

"Koyou!" Leo called back to be and I came out of my thoughts to realize the others were starting into the building. "You coming?"

Aki was still following Yusei... she wasn't even looking back at me. She should have been the one to call me, not a little boy that barely knew me. I pushed that fact aside and smiled at that young boy, "Yeah. I was thinking about stuff." I kicked myself mentally, _Stupid. I can't talk about Jack's issues if I have the same problem. There's no time for my ego. I have to act. I have to fight these Dark Signers and find Mei. There's too much riding on this battle for me to be jealous of Yusei. Even I have to admit he's our best chance of winning. We can't beat the bad guys without someone keeping us together._

I caught up to the others and took the initiative, grabbing Aki's hand and smiling at her. She smiled right back, as if I had nothing to worry about at all... as if she hadn't been clinging to my best friend instead of me. She leaned her head on my shoulder briefly and reassured me, "Your dad will find Mei soon I'm sure. With Kai-sensei and all of us allied against these Dark Signers, I'm certain everything will be fine."

"Yeah."

She looked at me, grinning, "I bet Kai-sensei could even beat them all by himself."

True... I'd only even seen Dad lose once or twice, and that was against my mother, who was a godly duelist in her own right. Though something my mother had said still worried me, something I hadn't told the others. My father's time might be up. If what I'd been told was true, Dad would die in this war.

_Mei's Perspective_

I sat up slowly, rubbing my aching head and trying not to make the feeling in my stomach overwhelm me. It wasn't fully pain. Even that ache in my head was more a stiff feeling, a remnant of pain that was not quite done healing. I looked around, uncertain, then remembered that I had washed up on the shore of Satellite. I was still recollecting events when I heard a child's voice.

"Crow-nee-san! The lady woke up! She's up!" I just missed seeing the little girl run away from the doorway to tell this news to 'Crow'.

"Oi! No shouting! She might have a headache or something. She was in and out all yesterday ya know." A familiar voice reprimanding the girl. It was gentle, but rough. Like a street punk with a 'heart of gold'.

"Sorry, Crow."

The man in question appeared in the doorway in the next moment. "You feelin' okay? What kind of jerk beats on women and throws them in that disgusting river?"

"Long story... I need to get back to the city... warn my brother..." I stood, wobbling a little. I grabbed my stomach as my knees buckled. Something was definitely wrong. My insides didn't feel right at all.

He promptly forced me to sit back down. "Yeah, you mentioned that. Like I said, there's no way you can get back into the city, especially when you're still recovering."

I accepted that simple truth. I'm no fool, "How long was I out?"

"Just twelve hours. Is someone after Koyou?"

Things clicked back into place as I sorted my scattered thoughts once more, "That's right, your the Crow that helped him out a lot when he was here."

"It was a mutual assist, but that's not important. Who's after him?"

I frowned, "You wouldn't believe me."

"I don't know about that. There's been some strange things going on lately."

"Strange things?"

"Yeah, recently people in weird robes have been holding gatherings and taking anyone who comes to them to an unknown location. They aren't seen again."

"Abduction?"

Crow shook his head, "Odd thing is they follow of their own accord, like zombies."

"And people keep going to these gatherings? Why?"

"Curiosity maybe? Desperation? These guys are making promises of salvation from life in the slums and from something called the Crimson Dragon."

I froze. It was Dark Signers after all.

Crow continued, "Obviously they're spoutin' nonsense. That thing appeared when Yusei and Jack were duelin' anything that comes from those guys can't be bad."

I stood, resolute. He tried to stop me but I didn't ield again, "I'm going to find those people. They have to be related to the people after Koyou."

Crow sighed, "I figured they were. Yusei's involved in this for sure thanks to that dragon, so it makes since Koyou is too. They were gonna meet up in the city." That said, he tried to sit me down again, and again I didn't budge, "I can't let you go out there in your condition though." He tried again, "Dang, how are you so strong now? You were feeble a minute ago."

I grabbed him, showing my determination by meeting his eyes, "I have to save my brother! I'm not losing him again! You can either help me or stay out of it but you sure as hell aren't stopping me. Got that?"

He was shocked, but nodded, though I could tell he still wanted to argue, "Fine, I'll come with you. I could never face Koyou again if I let his sister get hurt."

"Good." I quickly spotted my duel disk on a table nearby and grabbed it, "You have nice eyes by the way."

Crow tensed, taken off-guard, "Well... that was kinda outta nowhere."

"Sorry, I go off on random tangents sometimes. Runs in the family."

"Apparently."

I checked my pockets for my deck, and realized first that I wasn't wearing my deck case, next I noticed I wasn't wearing my clothes, I was wearing some ragged dressings that were certainly from the area, they didn't even fit even remotely right, "Um... did you...?"

Crow saw where I was looking and immediately defended himself from the allegation, "NO! No way! Martha changed your clothes, I would never do something like that. Never!"

"Martha?"

"She runs this place. Your at the Satellite orphanage. It was the closest place with medical supplies."

"So that little girl...?"

"Yeah. Little Sara lost her parents a while back to a sickness. This place is full of sob stories like that. Most of the older ones lost their folks in the Zero Reverse Incident. I can relate, so I help out around here."  
"You're an orphan?"

"Almost everyone native to Satellite is actually. It doesn't bother me anymore. I'm a pretty happy guy all in all, Martha saw to that and I like repaying the favor."

Nice guy. All those criminal marks on a dude that took care of orphaned children? Strange. Regardless, "That aside, we've got to get going. Where's my deck?"

Crow looked stunned, then looked away, finding it hard to tell me, "I was afraid of this."

"What?"

He looked at me a spoke frankly, "I was hoping you weren't carrying one, but I did find it odd that you had a disk, but-"

"No cards?" I finished his sentence, "You mean I didn't have my deck on me when you found me?"

Crow shook his head, frowning in sympathy, "Sorry, it might have been lost in the river or maybe looters took it before I found you."

I immediately collapsed to my knees, tears flowing out of my eyes, "My deck... my deck is gone?"

Crow rushed over to me and grabbed my shoulders to console me, "Hey! I understand, but you can't let it get to you like this. I-" I punched him, knocking him flat on his back, "OW! What the heck?"

"You don't understand! You can't understand! That deck...!" I stopped my yelling and starting weeping even harder, "I-I have so many memories with that deck. My mother helped me build it! Every single card was a gift from someone I cherish! That deck is irreplaceable! I might as well have lost my soul!" I thought back to the battle with the Dark Signer, "The bastard... he beat my deck with that bullshit... then he makes me lose it! I'll kill him! I swear to fucking god I'll kill him!"

The orange-haired duelist came over to me again and embraced me, "Calm down. I get it. My deck is precious to me too. Please, calm down. I'll make you a new one, somehow. It can't really replcae the old one, but you can make new memories. You can't let this beat you alright?"

"Shut up! You can't get those cards in Satellite! Don't make promises you can't keep!"

"I'll go to the city then. I'll show all these robed freaks the door then swim over there if I have to."

"Don't be stupid!"

"I'm serious! I won't let you lose your deck permanently. I'll get every single card and you can find the guy that beat you. I'll watch you avenge you're memories and cheer you on."

"You mean it?"

"Yeah. I mean it."

Calming down, I swallowed my tears, "God, I'm acting like a kid."

Crow chuckled, "You've been through a lot. I won't hold a little melt-down against you." he tensed up suddenly, "Could you do me a favor though?"

"What?" I said with a grin.

"Could you stop groping me?"

I laughed through my remaining tears, giving his nice firm rear a final squeeze before letting go and releasing my hug, "Sorry. Just lightening the mood."

He gave me a skeptical look, "You're a very strange girl."

I was going to make a snappy comeback, but suddenly there was an explosion someone. It was loud as heck, but sounded distant, so there was not telling how far it was based on sound alone. The little girl came in and shouted to Crow, proclaiming that a building had just burst into flames and collapsed in the next block over. Something huge was going on.

Crow was quick to act, and let me ride on the back of his duel runner to the scene. As we neared the site, various thugs, all badly wounded, were running for their lives from it. Crow was quick to identify the people and the building, "That's Danny's crew, and that's their hideout! What the hell could do this kind of damage?"

We stopped in front of the building, just in time to see a tall and muscular man step out from the flames carrying a person. The large man seemed to be on fire, but didn't seem to care. In fact, strangely the fire seemd to be black and white. Those strange flames disappeared as he stepped into the light. His cargo was beaten but not at all burned. That wasn't important though. That important thing was that large man was someone I knew, though I almost didn't recognize him. His face was so different than I'd ever seen it. I'd never seen him so angry.

"Dad!"

Crow was dumbstruck, "_That's_ your _father_? Why am I not as shocked as I should be?"

My father's face softened, going from monstrously enraged to his normal jovial demeanor. It was like he transformed into another person, "Ah, found you."

I climbed off the bike, though it was hard thanks to the growing pain in my abdomen. "This is no time to be playing superhero, we've got to get to Koyou." I noticed my father's face suddenly turn to terror and I hunched over in pain as I approached, Dad and Crow rushed to my side. I was all smiles, "What are you even doing here?"

My father ignored my question, "Ssh, you need to sit down. You're bleeding."

"Bleeding?" I was bleeding? From where? I couldn't keep myself from collapsing, and certainly couldn't think straight enough to find my wound.

Dad looked to Crow, "How could you put her on a bike in this condition?"

Crow was kicking himself inside for some reason, "I didn't know this would happen!"

_Bike?_ I looked over at Crow's duel runner. _Why is it covered in blood? I'm... bleeding internally? Then that pain in my abdomen was my organs bleeding? God... god I don't want to die... I don't want to die..._ "Daddy?"

Dad held me with that desperate look on his face, "What is it sweetie? Daddy's right here. Nobody's gonna hurt you... I'm right here."

"I'm going to be fine... don't... don't cry. You're Superman... Superman doesn't get to cry..."

He tried to stop the waterworks, but naturally he couldn't, "I'm not crying, Sweetie. You're just seeing things. Daddy's being strong for you."

I smiled, "Yeah..."

I placed a deck box in my hand, "They had your deck. I got it back for you. See? I made sure you weren't without it too long."

"Thanks... I... I was really sacred I'd never see it again. Ha-ha. Looks like that plot point was resolved quickly."

He tried to smile, "Yeah. It's like we're in some poorly thought-out fan fiction."

I started losing consciousness and Crow started freaking out, "Oi! Oi! Stay with us! Don't-"

I laughed, "Not dying, stupid... just... sleeping."

"Oi! Oi!"

I was out like a light though. I couldn't reply. As my awareness faded I thought back to the ominous fortune Misty Tredwell had given me. It was certainly accurate. Betrayal, loss, tragedy, and sorrow were all my future held. After all I had done to my family over the past few years, it was all I deserved.

Next Chapter: Sorrow and War

Set in stone events: Yusei and Koyou return to Satellite, the Dark Signers and Signers meet face to face, and an epic duel that changes the fate of our heroes forever. One duelist's story ends next chapter.

What lays beyond the deepest sorrow? Koyou shall soon discover the burden of devastating despair and heart-rending rage. His downward spiral begins here. This is the point the story starts getting really dark, as bad stuff starts happening and Koyou starts struggling to deal with his 'inheritance'. The upcoming chapters will create issues that plague our heroes all the way to the end of this series.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I got a few angry messages after last chapter after what apparently happened to Mei. It's a touchy issue clearly and I don't add that kind of thing into my story for cheap shock value or simply to make the story 'edgy'. It may be terrible, but terrible things happen sometimes. Believe me when I say that EVERYONE in this story will get a satisfying and happy ending. Mei is no exception. Anyway, please review and try to avoid hate mail. I'm sorry if you don't like what happened, but it's not the end of the world (even if it might seem that way at first). I understand that it's not a subject to take lightly and I'm not.

Episode 8: Sorrow and War

"You should have told me about that. I wouldn't have let her ride my runner if I knew she was hurt like that." Crow was snapping at the woman named Martha, trying not to be too harsh to the woman who raised him. He was clearly bothered by the news, there was more sadness and pity for me in his voice than anger.

"I didn't think she's want me telling anyone about that kind of thing. I didn't know there would be a random explosion or that you'd go running of with her. I thought she'd be out for a lot longer."

I heard Dad speak up, "Mei's tough, too tough for her own good sometimes. She'll get through this." there was a pause, he was probably turning to talk to Crow, "Thanks for finding her. It could have been a lot worse."

"I should have found her sooner! If I'd just gotten there faster she'd be healthy right now." he grumbled, "Now she has deal with-"

"Don't blame yourself." Dad assured him, "You had no idea she was even there. Nobody could hold it against you."

"Still..."

"You're the doctor?" Dad spoke to someone else.

A slightly gruff voice, one embittered by having seen too much in his career, replied, "Yes, I am. I did everything I could for your daughter Professor. She'll live and be almost completely healthy after she recovers, but I'm afraid there _is_ going to be lasting damage."

"Give it to me straight then."

The doctor didn't reply for several moments, "The damage from her battle with the Dark Signer was bad enough, but add to that the trauma of... everything after that... well... Mei will probably never be able to have children."

Someone punched a wall, but it was too small to have been my father. I could only assume it was Crow. It was confirmed shortly after when I heard him let out a curse word. Dad was obviously sad, but took it better, "Well... I'll break the news to her when she wakes up. I... I'm not sure how she'll take it, but she's a strong girl. I'm sure she'll be fine."

I was in the other room, lying in bed and listening to them talking about it. Running my hand along the bandages covering the stitches from a surgery. Again I was awake earlier than someone expected, the curse of being bigger than most women and very fit. Imagine my horror, waking up to find out that nature of my injury. I suppose I should count myself lucky that I don't remember what had happened to me, but to this day it doesn't seem much consolation. I'd been robbed of one of my dreams in life. After all was said and done, even with all my fooling around and flirting, I did eventually want to settle down and start a family. It wasn't to be apparently.

I would've curled up in a ball and started crying if I wasn't still in pain. It was around that moment that Dad came into the room and noticed I was awake, "You heard that I imagine. Sorry, I wish I could have told you instead."

"Kinda impossible to break that kind of news gently, Dad."

He frowned, struggling to remain strong for me. I could tell he was tore up inside. He wouldn't let it out though. The man knew what I needed, at least from him, "I hurt them, Mei. When I found one of them with your deck I hurt him a lot. I tracked down all his friends and hurt them too. I didn't know what they might have done, so I hurt them like I would if they'd killed you."

I didn't say anything.

He sat at my bedside, "There's some of them that didn't get out of that building... but that's still not enough. I'm sorry. I want to chase them all to hell and do so much to them that Satan would tell me to calm down... that I was going too far... but I'm not able.

I looked at the wall, "You _killed_ some of them?"

"I would have killed more but they ran too fast." he said simply, as if regretting he had not killed every single one of them.

That attitude towards taking their lives was nearly as disturbing as what they had done to me. It was beyond a father killing to avenge a child, that was a crime of passion. My father was lucid, logical, and meant every word. He'd been the same way hurting those people. Even if it was for me, it was frightening how methodical his reaction was. 'They hurt my child' = 'Torturous death and suffering'. No remorse, no hesitation, and no guilt afterward just simple and absolute judgment. Looking in his eyes, I understood how much my father loved me, and what he was capable of. He'd would torture the entire planet to death for me and not even be bothered by it.

"Thank you."

He looked away, picking up on my thoughts. He was good at that, better than me or Koyou I imagine, "I'm not sure what I should do... I'm not equipped for this kind of thing... It suddenly strikes me that I really don't know you well enough to know how to comfort you."

He held my hand. It was simple and might not seem like much, but he'd never been much for physical contact. At least not with Koyou and me. I remember hugs sure, but that was a rarity. Simply holding my hand to console me was a big thing. It wasn't that he never showed us that he loved us... but it was always a kind of 'doing his fatherly duty' kind of display and being around. I felt instantly better at his gesture. I guess he did know what would help me after all, "That's enough Dad. Just that means a lot."

"I'm not very good at this part, I'm sorry. I'm not sure why I'm not."

"Don't be stupid." I smiled at his uncertain expression. It was a lot younger look than I was used to him having. It reminded me of Koyou actually. "You're a great dad. Even if you don't think so, just you being here and caring so much is enough." I finally cried, thinking about what had happened and what I'd lost, "I'll be fine eventually... there's more important things to worry about aside from me. The whole fate of this rotten world is at stake you know."

"I'm starting to wonder more and more if it's worth saving."

I squeezed his hand. "Don't forget what you said a while back, Dad: people suck, but the world's worth saving even if just for the Yuseis, Koyous, Leos, and Lunas of the world. There's mom and Aki, Tanner, Yanagi, Crow, Martha, those orphans, that doctor. So many people..." I was still crying but thinking about the bright points of light in the darkness was helping me, "There's lot's of good worth saving."

Dad smiled, and hugged me, "That's my girl. Thanks for keeping me grounded. You being able to say that... I... I'm even more proud of you than I always am. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

"There's nothing to forgive you for. You got most of the bastards so I guess you made up for it."

"I could go find and kill a few more if it would help. Or I could get some rope, hang them up and make with the pinata treatment."

I laughed despite myself, and despite the fact that he was only half joking, "No, that's fine... I'm strong... I'll deal."

"And I'll help you whenever you need me. You know I'll alway-" he stopped all of a sudden. I could sense a shift in his mood.

"Dad?"

He pulled away, trying and failing to conceal the sad look on his face, "It's nothing, get some rest. Your brother will be here soon and we'll have to deal with those Dark Signers."

"You've heard news?"

He nodded, "Yeah. Long story, but a lot's happened since you lost to that imposter Koyou. Your brother beat him, and he's fine. I'll let him tell you the rest."

With that burden off of me I was finally able to push the sadness aside, "That's a relief. I was so worried." I looked at my father, "Don't tell him what happened to me. I don't want him distracted. He needs to focus on the evil that is trying to destroy the world, not the ones corrupting it."

Dad simply nodded.

Koyou's Perspective

I let out a sigh of relief as I hung up my phone and leaned back in my seat in the helicopter. According to Goodwin, the battle against the Dark Signers would be waged in Satellite, but that wasn't what I was thinking about right then. My mind was on one thing, "They found Mei."

Aki smiled wide, "Really that's great! Is she okay?"

"No, but she will be. She's pretty badly hurt but Crow found her and took her to a doctor. Dad came across them just a few hours ago. That was hi, just now."

"I'm so relieved." Aki leaned forward and grabbed my hands. I ignored the fact that she was sitting next to Yusei since she was sitting in front of me.

Speaking of Yusei, he was happy for me as well, "Talk about fate being on your side. Seems like everything that happens to us is predetermined or something."

"Well as long as everything keeps going well I don't mind." I laughed. I tried not to think about the piece of 'destiny' that seemed to be waiting to snatch my father from me.

"We should tell the chopper to drop us off at the orphanage, you can see them quickly and it'll be nice seeing everyone again. Right, Jack?"

The former King huffed, "Martha will probably give me an earful."

"You have to admit, you kind of deserve it, Jacky." I teased.

"Could you kindly stop calling me Jacky?"

"Hey at least I dropped the '-boy' at the end. Be grateful."

He grumbled, and I caught Yusei smiling one of his non-smiles, where his face twitched like the very start of a normal smile, yet went no further. The twins Leo and Luna also found it amusing and Aki chuckled a little as well, which of course made me happy. Seeing her free of the shackles of her pain would always bring a smile to my face, or so I thought. Turns out the future is hard to predict, despite what Carly and Misty might say. Part of what took away my smile made itself known as we neared the orphanage. Yusei had given directions and settled back in, and moments later my mark started throbbing and the sky turned dark. Lighting filled the sky, striking at buildings I could only hope were abandoned.

Much like everyone else, Jack looked around in shock, "What is this strange storm? I've never seen one so bad come on so fast!"

Trudge grabbed the twins to secure them as the chopper rocked, dodging a bolt of the strange lighting. The pilot himself called back, "We can't go much further in this maelstrom. We've gotta set this thing down!"

Mina, Jack's secretary and Goodwin's assistant, took charge and called back, "How close are we to our destination?"

"Just a few hundred feet. It's actually at the center of this storm!"

Yusei went wide-eyed, "What? Why?"

I frowned, "This has to be work of Dark Signers."

Trudge was suitably annoyed, "How the hell do they even know where we are going? We didn't even decide our landing zone before we left!"

In hindsight, I probably should have noticed that I was the only one whose mark was active and aching, but I was too caught up in the moment to notice, "That doesn't matter right now! Just land this thing before we get shot down! It's safer to walk from here."

Mina shouted to the pilot, "Do it!"

Soon, we were on the ground and out of the chopper. I was immediately struck by another odd thing, "I've never seen a lightning storm without rain... plus the sound is occurring at the same time as the bolts. That's impossible. At least with regular lightning."

Jack shoved the matter aside, "Enough analyzing, we have to get to the orphanage. Whatever is going on is going on there."

"Right." Yusei lead the way as we rushed the distance between us and the center of the storm.

When we got there, my dad was in front of the building with Crow, a barely standing Mei, and an old woman I assumed was the Martha the others had mentioned. They were staring down a group of robed figures, all there faces concealed by hoods. I quickly spotted Misty however, and thought another female in the group was familiar. Jack seemed transfixed on that on for some reason.

The one in the center had been exchanging banter with my father, but turned to Yusei as we arrived and took up a defensive formation between the obvious Dark Signers and the building, "Ah, Yusei Fudo, the Signers, and a few hanger-ons. I was waiting for you o get here. I think you need a faster helicopter."

"Are you the leader of the Dark Signers?" Yusei demanded.

"Straight to the heart of the matter. I like you already." the man taunted, then showed his mark, "You may call me Roman, I bear the mark of the spider."

I turned to Yusei, realizing something, "Yusei-"

"Yeah, I know. This guy was the one who was turning all those people into drones!"

Roman laughed, "I would've been disappointed if you hadn't noticed. Your father was such a sharp mind, ever alert. Yet in the end he wasn't quite alert enough."

"You knew my father?"

The large man laughed again, "Indeed. I'm sure you want to know more, but I'm afraid I'm not here for casual conversation. I'm here to make sure the Signers are really worth our time. Consider this a declaration of war." he grinned wider, "I challenge you to a duel Yusei Fudo!"

Suddenly, my dad stepped up, blocking Yusei from stepping forward, "Roman, if you duel here all these people will become sacrifices to your Earthbound Immortal, but I don't supppose you'd be willing to move this elsewhere?"

"Of course not. What would be the point in that?"

Dad turned to Martha, "Get everyone that isn't a Signer as far away as possible."

Mei limped forward, "I'm staying right here. It's not like I can run anyway in my condition. I'd slow them down."

Crow clenched a fist in frustration, "That bastard dares bring the kids into this! Let _me _have him! I'll settle this before he can bring that whatever it is out!"

Dad turned to the orange-haired duelist, "No, you need to get the kids to safety, that's more important. Everyone who isn't a Signer leaves. Mei can stay, she's right about her condition, but everyone else goes." He pointed to Roman, "And you'll be facing me. Signers may be thought of as protectors of this generation, but naturally you have to go through the parents first!"

"Dad, are you serious?" Mei protested, "You're strong but isn't this a Signer's job. I don't want-"

I freaked out. The words of my mother, the ones that said Dad might die, rang in my head. Plus it was apparently a theory from my father, "Dad, why are you doing this when you know you might not come back?"

He smiled at me, "It's a dad thing. Don't worry, this guy is nothing. You should know better than most that gemini decks brutally dismember any deck that relies on a single monster."

"Yeah but..."

"You beat one, right?"

"Yeah."

"And you remember how much stronger than you I am, right?

"Yeah." I did, and it didn't make me feel any better.

"Then don't worry." he stepped forward and addressed Roman, "You duel me first. If you win you get your crack at Yusei. If I win... well, I systematically challenge and destroy every other Dark Signer in turn. Why waste time?"

Roman laughed, "Oh, I like you, Professor. I like you a lot. I'd love to see what a washed up chosen one can do. You have yourself a duel, but as you probably expect, it will be a _Shadow_ Duel."

"Just like old times." he turned back to the group, "Everyone move it. I'll crush him as fast as I can. But I can't promise he won't get that thing out first."

Martha and the other non-Signers retreated, quickly acting to get the children to safety. We all stepped back as Roman advanced and he surrounded the duel zone with a fiery ring that matched the color of his mark. Without wasting time, the both activated their disks, "DUEL!"

Kaigen: 8000 vs Roman: 8000

Both drew their starting hands and dad drew one more, "I'm the challenger, so I'll go first. I'll start with a set monster and two face downs. Turn end!"

Roman drew, "A solid start, but it will do you no good. I control no monsters, yet you do, so I can special summon the dark tuner Spider Cocoon!" a sinister purple spider appeared on the field. Soon joined by a green spider with orange markings, "I normal summon Dark Spider. It's effect lets me increase Spider Cocoon's level by 2. Now I dark tune my level 7 Spider Cocoon to my level 1 Dark Spider!" The two monsters combined in a reversed form of the synchro effect, twisted one spider into a new taurian form that mixed human with spider, "When dark overlaps with dark, the doors of the underworld will be opened to the world without light. Dark Synchro! Show yourself, Underground Arachnid!"

Dad didn't seem at all shocked about the summon and I wondered how well informed he was. Maybe he didn't know about it, but he had just seen so much in his time that it didn't shock him. He was a chosen one after all. He'd been through this kind of struggle before, perhaps more than once. There was so much I didn't know about him, so much he'd decided I didn't need to know.

Roman went on the attack, "I attack your set monster!"

The monster flipped and was destroyed, "You destroyed Featherizer. On that note its effect sends Tuned Magician from my deck to the grave and lets me draw one card. Anything else?"

Roman simply set a card. Then activated a field spell. The area suddenly went dark and pilars rose up around the field, changing the floor into a spider web, "Nothing much, but you won't survive against me much longer."

Dad calmly drew, "I summon Blazewing Butterfly, then activate the equip spell Supervise. This can only be equipped to a gemini monster. I'd give you a tutorial on those, but I'm not in the mood. Instead watch and learn. I activate Blazewing's effect, tributing it to revive Tuned Magician as a tuner monster. Supervise brings it right back." Dad smiled, "You want to play with synchro monsters? I'll join the fun. I tune my level 4 Tuned Magician to my level 4 Blazewing Butterfly." the two monsters turned into stars and rings, combined to form a familiar monster, "Fires of destruction, flames of creation, an irresistible force denies the advancing doom! Synchro summon!" the dragon appeared with a thunderous roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of reality. It was the same monster I used, but Dad's power came through in the summon. It was a whole different level than the simple flames that my rage could call forth. "Charge on through, Black Brutdrago!" He reached for a face down card, "I activate the trap card Star Siphon. When a monster is synchro summoned, I use this to summon a Siphon Token with that monster's level. That synchro monster's level becomes 1 while it is face up on the field." He reached for another, "Cursed Prison! I special summon synchro monster from my extra deck, its effect is negated and it cannot be changed from defense position! I summon Arcanite Magician!"

"What are you trying to do?" Roman was confused, but I'd seen the combination before.

Dad held out a card, "I activate the card I drew with Featherizer: Polymerization! I combine my Tempest Magician with my Siphon Token to create a fusion of old and new school: Supreme Arcanite Magician!" the two monsters swirled together forming a man in dark purple robes, armor beneath them. "Supreme Arcanite Magician gains spell counters each worth 1000 attack boosting his attack points to 3400."

Jack was astonished, "It took most of his hand, but bringing out two monsters so quickly, with the weakest having 3000 attack? Who is this guy?"

"He's not done." I said simply.

Dad continued, "I discard Gigaplant from my hand to activate Black Brutdrago's effect, by discarding a gemini monster he destroys one of your spell or trap cards." Black Brutdrago raised its massive hands and slammed them down, ripping the spider web and yanking down the pillers, destroying the field spell before it could do anything. "I then activate Supreme Arcanite Magician. Once per turn I can remove a counter and destroy one card on the field." the monster's attack went down by 1000 but Roman's only face down shattered. It had been a Mirror Force, "I'll defeat Underground Arachnid with an attack from Black Brutdrago. Brimstone Bash!" the dragon charged, throwing the large spider creature into the air and punching it with both hands as it fell. It was even a different level of attack animation than mine... "Direct attack from Supreme Arcanite Magician!"

Kaigen: 8000 vs Roman: 5000

Roman was knocked back several steps by the bolts of magic and long cut-like burns gouged his body, "Argh! Such force! You really are everything I thought you were! Such overwhelming power! To think I would be so easily rendered helpless!" He drew, "But I'm not so helpless as to lose without a fight! I activate Monster Reborn and revive Underground Arachnid! After that, you become my prey!" Suddenly, Underground Arachnid shot out webs, ensnaring Black Brutdrago and wrapping it into a cocoon, "Once per turn, I can equip an enemy monster to Underground Arachnid! Now I attack Supreme Arcanite Magician!" The spider shot a stream of webs, destroying the mage. Since they had equal attack, Underground Arachnind should have died as well, but instead Black Brutdrago bit the dust, "If Underground Arachnid would be destroyed by battle, the equipped monster is destroyed instead!"

My dad laughed, "Is that really your best shot? I should have just let Yusei deal with you." Gigaplant suddenly rose to the field from a pool of lava, "You're not even worth my time. You didn't even damage me at all."

Roman was shocked, "What? That's impossible. What trickery is this?"

"When Black Brutdrago is destroyed and sent to my graveyard, I revive a gemini monster from my deck and that monster has its own effect. Pay attention, maybe you'll learn something about real immortality"

Roman set a card, "Turn end."

Dad drew, "I activate Gigaplant's effect, special summoning Blazewing to the field. Next I activate White Elephant's Gift, sending Blazewing to the graveyard to draw two cards." (A/N: This card previously appeared as "Stranger's Compensation", but that was before the English name of the card was officially announced) he did so, "It's just not your day. I activate Swing of Memories, special summoning Blazewing from the grave yet again. You still following this? Its a lot of steps for a simple fellow like you and it gets worse."

"Just make your move you arrogant fool."

"'Kay. I activate the other card I drew: Hidden Armory. I send the top card of my deck to the grave and give up my normal summon to add Supervise to my hand. Time for a replay from my last turn because I equip it to Blazewing, tribute him, revive Tuned Magician as a tuner, then revive Blazewing. After that, I synchro summon another Black Brutdrago."

Roman flinched, taken aback in disbelief.

"I don't have anything in my hand, so let's get wild and run right at your face down. I attack Underground Arachnid with Black Brutdrago."

"Gah!"

"Then direct attack with Gigaplant!"

Kaigen: 8000 vs Roman: 2000

The Dark Signer staggered as he was whipped by the plant monsters spiked tendrils. He was clearly unsettled. There he was, leader of the Dark Signers, and he wasn't just simply losing. Roman was being totally and humiliatingly dominated. Dad was making him look like a complete joke.

Yusei was amazed, "Wow, no matter what Roman brings to the table, your dad just keeps coming back just as hard."

"That's gemini for you. If you think this is scary you should see him with a _good_ starting hand. I'm surprised Roman hasn't already lost." I replied factually.

"I see where you get your aggressive play style from. Even though your decks are different, the same attitude is there."

Roman growled as Dad ended his turn, "This... this isn't the end of me. You think you can make a difference hear Kou? You may be a chosen one, you may like to think you are an invincible protector of the world, but you have a weakness. Two actually."

Dad glared, "And what are those?"  
"First. It isn't your destiny to end this conflict and you know that."

"And the other?"

Roman pointed directly at Mei, who was suddenly encircled in dark smoke and vanished.

Dad gasped then yelled at Roman, "Bring her back right now, you coward! You'd resort to taking hostages to win?"

"Of course not." Roman calmly stepped out of the duel ring, much to my father's shock, "If you want her back so badly, here you go." On that note, Mei appeared in the spot Roman had been standing, "Bye now! It was fun and refreshing to get humbled by someone like you. You remember the rules these kinds of games have right? The loser gets sacrificed to the Earthbound Immortals. See you later. Or perhaps not."

"ROMAN! GET BACK HERE, ROMAN!" Dad shouted.

Mei looked at Dad and glanced at the disk that had appeared on her arm. The look on Dad's face made it easy to tell what he was thinking, "Dad, don't! You're our best chance at beating them! And... I don't want to lose you! We're just starting to really get along!"

He smiled, "I have a lot of powers, Mei. I can even invoke Shadow Games. Sadly, only the invoker can get out of them and only if they know how. Neither of us qualify for that."

"I'll forfeit! Just live!" Mei went to tap her deck and surrender, "I don't have much to live for anyway!"

Dad beat her to it, "What makes you think I would agree to that?" The flames vanished and darkness encircled him, his knees buckled, but he didn't fall, "NO! I refuse to go out on my knees!"

I ran over to him, Mei limped over, crying.

He embraced us both, "I won't even lean on you. Daddy doesn't need to... Daddy is invincible."

Mei squeezed him tighter, as if holding him hard enough would save him, "Yeah, Daddy is invincible. Nothing can stop him."

He chuckled, "Sorry. I should have been the one to start the game, but I was overconfident. I could have avoided this."

"Dad..." I didn't know what to say. He was growing darker in complexion as if he would vanish at any moment.

He ruffled my hair, "Sorry... I'm putting this on you now. I though this was the case, but you're the one now. There can be only one, but unfortunately this doesn't involve cool swords and bad-asses from Scotland." he suddenly recalled something, "Well, at least no Scotsmen. When you tell your mother... make sure you get my old disk... that thing is pretty sweet."

"This is hardly the time to be talking about cool duel disks!" Mei protested. "Please don't go! Don't leave me like this! Don't make me the reason you aren't around anymore!"

Dad put on a brave face, "I love you both. Sor-" with that he was froze in place in a dark form and blew away as dust in the breeze. He went out looking strong and resolved. To the last breath he only thought of us.

Mei collapsed to the ground, hysterical, "DADDY! _DADDY_!"

Yusei rushed over to console her and Aki came to me. I'm not sure what look I had on my face, but I couldn't feel anything. I didn't realized I pushed away Aki's attempt to hold me. I wasn't aware I fell to my knees. I wasn't even aware that I was hollering Roman's name in fury. All I was aware of was sadness, overwhelming despair. There was rage as well. No it was more soul-permeating desire to destroy. I felt strange, I felt the same burning power in my body as when I lost my temper before, but it was many times stronger... and there was something else... something as cold as the other power was hot. Sorrow... rage... unlimited power all with only one desire. To bring everything around me to an end. My worst fears were realized. My father was dead, and his burden was mine. At that time, there was no doubt in my mind that I wasn't strong enough to bear it.

Soon... very soon... everything would come to an end at my own hands. If I had my say, Roman would be the first.

Next Chapter: One Man Apocalypse

Set in stone events: The war with the Dark Signers begins, Koyou receives his last bit of inheritance, and Dark Signer Koyou's final attack is launched as old foes return.


	9. Chapter 9

Episode 10: One Man Apocalypse

I sat pouring over Dad's deck, sorting out the cards and looking at the strategies when Yusei came over. He sat in front of me and watched me for a few moments before speaking, "Are you alright? You've been at that for hours. You haven't said anything to anyone, even Aki or Mei."

I didn't say anything to him either.

"You should at least talk to Mei. She been catatonic since it happened."

I took out my deck, wordlessly trading cards that were the same in mine between the two decks, incorporating some of my father into my deck without changing my deck. He wouldn't want that. I might borrow a few traps or spells, but he'd been right when he said my deck wasn't a copy of his like I once assumed. It was totally different except for the common support cards and a penchant for traps that equipped. Mine was almost entirely warriors, while his was a mix of all types and with a lot of support for spellcasters. I paused at a certain card, his ace monster that he'd not used in his duel. No that's not right. Every monster in his deck was an ace. It was more like his signature card: Silent Magician. The only card of its kind in the world. I'd grown up wanting it. It was amazingly powerful... but it had no lace in my current deck. I didn't use spellcasters...

"Koyou..."

"Leave me alone, Yusei." I replied simply.

He didn't show it, but I could tell he was mad at me, and disappointed, "What about your sister huh? You're just going to leave her like that?"

I glared at him, "What makes you think I'm not doing the only thing I can do for her?" Standing up sharply, I tried not to yell. Mei didn't need to hear me distressed, "What makes you think I'm in any kind of condition to give her comfort?"

Yusei frowned, sympathizing, "I know you're hurting, Koyou, and I can't even begin to console you or give you any advice. I know I have no right to say this, but you have to carry on. Your father didn't sacrifice himself so you would self-destruct."

He was more insightful than I thought. His words pissed part of me off, and made the other part want to cry. Maybe it was the strange duality that I had apparently been saddled with, "Is Mei any better at all?"

"Not really. When your mother got here she went right to her side, but it didn't do anything but get her to cry and whimper."

"Mom's here?"

Yusei nodded, "Aki tried to tell you an hour ago when she got here, but you were off in your own little world. She's still with Mei."

"How'd she take the news about Dad?"

Yusei looked away, "She tried not to show it, but it was obvious she did all her crying before coming. She's a strong woman, I can see that, but its like she's barely alive."

"You wouldn't be surprised if you knew my parents." I explained, "They are so close... beyond that. They are like parts of each other. Taking away one is like taking away breathing. They are that much in love with each other."

"Koyou... your speaking in present tense... your Dad-"

"I'm not delusional or in denial!" I snapped, "He's gone! I know that! He isn't gone forever though."

"Koyou..."

"Remember the other Dark Signer? The one with my face? When I beat him everyone that had been sacrificed to the Earthbound Immortal came back. I know it was a different circumstance that time... but maybe if I beat Roman then Dad will be okay."

"That's entirely possible." a familiar voice said from the doorway as she walked in. Mom stood next to Yusei with a package in her arms, a metal case of some kind, "It's also possible that he can't return."

"What do you mean?" Yusei looked up at her questioningly.

Mom looked at him coldly, "Sorry, but I want to talk to my son alone. Leave."

Yusei was struck by the abrasiveness, since she had been so warm to him before. The glare she was giving him, that accusing glare that could burn metal, wasn't helping either. He nodded and quickly stepped out. Mom would take his seat across from me, looking over the cards on the table.

"I see you're studying his deck. Not chaning yours much though I hope."

"Of course not. Dad wouldn't want that. Now what do you mean he might not come back?"

"That power of yours, the one you got when he passed from the world." she pointed at my heart, "You got it right. Kai was saying if anyone would be the heir to the chsen it would be you. Everything points to it being you, and if you didn't get that power then the world would be going to hell right now."

"If you mean the burning and freezing compulsion to end all life on the planet... the urge trying to get me to torture you to death right now... then yeah... I got that power."

"That's the one. Quasi-deific entities of chaos tend to do that I imagine. Kai rarely talked about what it was like."

"Hell... no hell would probably be easier to deal with. I don't see how he was always so happy..."

Mom smiled, "He had us."

"Has." I corrected, "Unless you explain what this power has to do with him not being able to return, I'll still believe he's still alive."

Her face became a frown, "I explained that power right? I'm not sure if I got the chance. Decades ago there was a cataclysm. Your dad and our fried Jaden barely defeated the cycle of the universe gone haywire. The avatars of chaos were sealed away until the conditions for destroying them could be met."

"Yeah you told me that."

"They were sealed in your father, the chosen of order. Now they are in you, the chosen of this generation."

I sighed and pt my face in my hands, "So I'm the clone reincarnation of the heir to a fraction of the power of the cosmos and have become the seal to two beings of nearly god-like power? Oh, and imbued with a false mark that lets me draw from the power of another god-like being?"

"Yes."

I looked at the sky, "Hey, God? You really suck at this. What the hell, man? What the hell?" looking back at my mother I got back on point, "What does this have to do with dad not coming back and taking this crap back?"

"They were fused with his soul."

"So?"

"What part of separating things from the soul sounds healthy?"

I had to concede that point, "So he could be really gone?"

""Doing that ran the risk of breaking the seal or killing him. That fact that he did that without hesitation shows how much faith he has in you. He believed you would inherited the seal and be able to handle it. He believed you could help the Signers save the world."

"I can't... I can't deal with this.. this... crap. Every cell in my body wants to end every other speck of matter in the universe. Even my own cells! Everything!"

She locked eyes with me and aside from her resolution I noticed what Yusei had mentioned before. My mother looked like crap. She'd been crying buckets and looked years older than she had before. However, she was still strong, "You're going to do this. You can do this. Your his son, my son, we believe in you! Those people outside believe in you and those Dark Signer bastards will believe in you too after you get done ending Roman. You can't do it alone, I know, neither could your father. He wasn't alone and you aren't either."

"You're right."

She didn't change expressions and simply pushed that case she had brought towards me, "Knowing you father, he probably told you to get this. The combination is your and Mei's birth year."

She knew him well. I hesitated, not sure what to expect from the duel disk that Dad had apparently used in the struggle years ago. I unlocked it, opening the lid to reveal something I had not expected: a sword. A sword with a long and thick blade resembling the play field on an older model duel disk, but longer. It looked a lot like Phoenix Gearfried's weapon actually. With it was an armored gauntlet with a deck slot and graveyard zone. It took me a moment to find the place the extra deck was stored.

Mom showed me how it worked, helping me with the gauntlet and showing that the sword had a play field on both sides and that the hand guard on the back side of the weapon has a handle used when dueling. I grabbed that handle and willed the disk to activate. The back edge of blade moved, revealing the slots for spells and traps, the thin metal bit retracting into the hand guard, coming out the end of it and binding the sword to the gauntlet so I didn't need to hold it.

Mom explained something else, "I actually has two different forms it can take on. You have it with the point of the blade facing out, like a wrist mounted sword. That's the easier way to use it since the play field is level with the forearm instead of above it like a normal disk. The play area on the other side of the blade is for using it with the blade against the forearm. If you activate it like that, then the other edge of the blade is the one that retracts and links the sword to you. It's harder to use it that way, because you have to play spells and traps on the side away from you, but its more compact so you can use it if you are in a weird position or on a runner."

How intricate... "Where did he even get a duel disk like this?"

"Long story, but basically." She pointed at Dad's copy of Phoenix Gearfried.

I gave her a strange look, "You know, some day you've really got to tell me that whole story. Sounds nuts."

She finally smiled, albeit briefly, "I never thought things would get that complicated again. I thought he ended it... for a while at least. I guess we did technically get nearly two decades of relative peace." She looked at me as I looked over the blade and worked on getting used to using it, "How are you feeling now? Any better?"

"Maybe a little. But that's like saying I feel like stabbing you nineteen times instead of twenty-three. God this is hard... especially now that I have a stabbing implement."

She didn't seem even slightly disturbed, more sad, "Is it really that bad? Your dad act like it was nothing..."

I could actually understand after thinking on it why I was having so much trouble and he didn't. It was like Mom had said. Dad was happy because he had us. "I have a weakness that he didn't..."

Mom, as smart and familiar with Dad as she was, quickly put two and two together, "I remember. Back then he been struggling with depression and chaos in his mind his whole life. When he took those things into himself, he had none of that left in him, so maybe it was just like replacing that turmoil. By then he had the strength to deal with it."

I nodded, "And I still have my own demons."

She looked at me with concern.

I held up my new disk and smiled, "At least I can slay them. I have friends that care for me, a girlfriend that loves me, and family that also supports me. I have a lot." Thinking about it made me want to kill them less, but remembered me of something I neglected, "How is Mei by the way?"

"Terrible."

I stood up, "Alright. I'm going to fix that. Maybe dad can be saved, maybe not, but I'm going to get those Dark Signers and get this evil in me under wraps, then I'll give her a big hug and magically fix everything with the power of brotherly love."

Mom smiled a sad and nostaligic smile, "God, your so much like your dad..."

"Hang on, I'll hug you after I get the sharp object off my arm."

She laughed, rolling her eyes. When I hugged her, I didn't tell her about the throbbing in my mark, concealed beneath the gauntlet. The Dark Signers were probably making a move, but the strange part was that the feeling in my mark was very different than it had ever been. Perhaps it was because I had taken in more of the forces that made up the universe, the same power the Crimson Dragon itself drew from, maybe that combined with my innate understanding of people was what made the feelings from the mark clearer and more defined. I could always feel a bond with the other Signers when they needed the power of the dragon or the others, or when Dark Signers were around. This was different though. I could very clearly feel all their emotions... and I could feel the Dark Signers too. Aside from Roman, among those I could feel were many familiar... it's hard to find a word for it... souls I guess. I couldn't place them though. I was certain I had encountered them before however.

Aki's Perspective

I turned to Yusei as I exited from Mei's room, "No change."

He simply sighed.

"That Crow person seems very dedicated. He hasn't left her side once. Does he like her or something?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. As far as I know they only met a few days ago."

"Time doesn't determine love. At least that's what Mei told me once. You could know someone for years and not love them, then fall for someone else within moments."

Yusei grunted in agreement, but didn't say anything. I found myself wondering what was going on in his head about everything. Unless something really needed to be said, the only one he ever talked a lot with was Koyou. It was then that I felt a throbbing in my mark and looked down to see that my mark was glowing, and so was Yusei's. The sensations was strange though. Before, I could generally get a positive or negative feeling from it, and generally tell where the source was. I couldn't do that. I couldn't even understand the feeling. It was too much vague information and it was blending together, like getting a second-hand account of something while trying to watch a complex TV show.

"Strange... I've never felt this kind of thing from it before." despite that,Yusei seemed to be able to unscramble it a bit better than me, "They're making a move."

I sensed Koyou about to enter before he came in, bearing a serious expression on his face. Jack walked in about the same time. It was Koyou however that spoke, "Just two of them. The rest are biding time. I think Dad thrashing Roman like that caused a bit of disorder in the ranks."

"How can you tell that much?" I wondered.

It was Yusei that answered, "It makes sense. Koyou's always been good at reading people. He'd naturally be better at understanding the feelings we're getting."

That's what this was? "Wait, Why are we getting signals from the Dark Signers now?"

Yusei shrugged, "Maybe because we've met them in person, maybe because the war started?"

Koyou shrugged, "I'm in the dark too, but it might be a side effect of my fake mark, or the weird power I inherited from my dad. That's probably how they knew where we were going. We have to be even more careful now."

"Agreed. We should intercept those two strays before they come after us here."

Koyou nodded, "But before any of you get the crazy idea to move all Signers away from the orphanage, keep in mind that they might come after it just to spite us whether or not we are here and they will know the very instant we leave. We need to stick around to protect it. Since we know when they move we can do like you said each time and get to them before they get here."

"It would be harder to protect this place anywhere else." Jack agreed.

Koyou looked around the room at each of us, "I know one of them is after Aki specifically, but does anyone else have one after them like that? Those that do should be the ones to go on the attack. Less chance of drawing them here." for some reason he looked right at Jack after saying this.

Jack flinched, hesitating. Then confessed, "I do."

Yusei was shocked, "Who?"

Jack looked away, "The details are none of your business, but I recognized one and ran after him after they left that time. Nobody you know. Just some punk I ran across after I left Satellite."

Koyou furrowed his brow, somewhat accusingly. That meant Jack was probably lying. He didn't call him out though, "If that's all, then I take Aki and Jack and go after the two. Yusei can stay here and protect everyone."

Yusei shook his head, "You're the best at telling what they are doing. You should e the one here. You're entire statement before about leaving to head attacks off relies on you being here."

"No it doesn't. I can just run back. I'm more use to the attacking team to avoid ambushes."

"I don't need your protection, or any help from Aki, but I'm no fool. I agree we should have someone covering our back.""

Koyou ignored that and moved on, "You can tell if they are making a move, you said so yourself. That and your probably the best duelist we've got."

Yusei argued using that point, "All the more reason I should be on the attacking team. I can warn off ambushes too right?"

Koyou shook his head, "Can you detect them with precision? Besides, if they get to the orphanage, you are the one with the best chance to stopping them."

"If you were here they wouldn't get to the orphanage."

Jack sighed, rolling his eyes, "Let's just go already. You guys can bicker later."

Yusei snapped at Jack, it was mild, but the first time I'd seen Yusei angry, "We're not bickering."

Koyou pressed his point,"If I don't go then they won't be able to find the Dark Signers before they get here. Set and match. I'm going." (A/N: "Set and match." is a tennis thing. Basically saying "I win.")

For some reason, Yusei seemed annoyed. He had lost the debate though. Koyou was right. We needed him to track the two that were on the move, "Fine. I see your point. Get going."

Koyou looked over at me, "You can ride with me, grab Yusei's spare helmet while Jack and I get our runners ready. We've wasted enough time."

I nodded. It sort of bothered me that I hadn't gotten to make any points in the exchange, but I knew I wasn't the leader-type. Even still, it didn't make me happy that none of them thought I was. Koyou hadn't even asked if I was okay with going, he just told me I was going. Putting that aside, it was easy getting the helmet and the guys were quick getting their runners ready. In fact I wasn't even done putting the helmet one before they were revved up.

I got on behind Koyou nervously and grabbed him tightly from behind. It was sort of lucky that we had been far more intimate before then. I could hold on as much as I needed to without being shy about touching him. "I've never ridden on one of these so no fancy stuff."

Koyou nodded, then looked to Yusei, "Take care of my sister. If she snaps out of it, tell her I'm sorry I'm not more useful. This is all I know to do. All I can do is get back at them for what they've done."

Yusei frowned, "We need to talk about that later by the way."

"I won't let vengeance cloud my judgment." Koyou said calmly, looking straight ahead, "I'm going to kill Roman with a totally clear and calm mind. No temporary rag-induced insanity. No crime of passion plea in courts. Simple and merciless murder. If you have a problem with that then... well I don't know. You aren't stopping me."

"I don't then I could anyway."

Koyou had a dark look in his eye, "If these guys think _they_ are the apocalypse, they just haven't dueled _me _yet."

On that note, he revved his runner and made for the two wandering Dark Signers, leaving Yusei with a worried look on his face. I didn't know at the time that that simple argument between the two of them was a sign of the end of their friendship. Not that I could have stopped it anyway. Perhaps there was a way to avoid it, but we had already passed the point of no return without knowing it. Soon, ghosts from my past would start adding nails to the coffin.

Next Chapter: Desperate Tag.

Preview: Koyou and Aki tag team against the Dark Signers, Yusei meets a familiar face, and a glimmer of good news is joined by disaster.


	10. Chapter 10

Episode 10: Desperate Tag

"Aki! Are you alright? AKI!" Koyou's voice pulled me out from the darkness and I opened my eyes.

I was sore all over and not certain why. For some reason I was covered in dirt, not to mention on the ground. "What happened?" I groaned, taking off the helmet I was wearing. "Last thing I remember you said we were getting close to the-"

Koyou motioned behind me, "They are right over there. They are also what happened."

I noticed the ring of fire around us and reached for Koyou who promptly helped me up. I spotted Jack outside the ring when he starting yelling, "You idiot! Weren't you supposed to prevent this kind of thing by coming with us?"

Koyou fired back, "Stop whining, person outside the trap, and get back to the orphanage."

"And leave you here? Stop with the foolishness already!"

"I'm not being stupid!" Koyou insisted, "One just started moving a little after we got trapped. Whoever it is, this one _really_ wants Yusei. That means he's heading to where he is. Go do something productive. Aki and I are fine. It's two on two."

"Go, Jack, the children are more important!" I insisted.

Jack growled and started away, "Fine!"

"Knaves! Where doth thou think thine attention should lay? Pay mind to the enemy in front of thee, so that I might strike you without dishonor!"

A familiar voice filled me with a bit of dread. I'd nearly forgotten all about him. That guy had be so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. But as I turned, I saw him. Gil deLauncebeaux, the man who fancied himself a night in shining armor, but this time he was clad in black armor, and bore the marks of the Dark Signers. Next to him was a face I wanted to see even less, Kodo Kinomiya. Both were my opponents in the Fortune Cup, and both had been murdered by the imposter Koyou.

"What?" I uttered in disbelief.

Gil spoke again, "The heavens have raised me from death to strike a righteous blow! I am here to redeem myself, nay _avenge _myself against the Witch and her assassin!"

Koyou glared at him, "I'd correct you, but I'm too happy that I get the chance to destroy you for what you put Aki through. I'm not your killer, but I'm more than happy to fix that since your both Dark Signers now."

"Knave! Your lies fall on fortified ears! You are both agents of destruction that must be cleansed from this world!"

Kodo smirked, "What he said."

Koyou shook his head, chuckling, "Well, maybe you're right, but you two sure the hell aren't going to cut it or us for that matter." He turned to me, "You ready for this?"

"I'm actually a bit unsettled, I'm not sure." I hesitated, for obvious reasons. They were a reminder of a very dark time in my life. Koyou holding my hand gave me strength however, "But I'll try. I've got your back."

"Let's do this then." Koyou handed me a card, a copy of his Black Brutdrago, "Slip this into your extra deck in case we need to bring it out on your turn."

I did so without hesitiation as we turned to our opponents and I activated my duel disk, as did Kodo. Gil activated his shield disk, and Koyou drew the sword I had wondered about, revealing it to be a duel disk as he locked in it place on his gauntlet, blade pointing out.

"Duel!"

Koyou & Aki: 8000 vs Gil & Kodo: 8000

"As challenger, I shall make the first blow!" the dark knight drew, "I summon Masked Knight LV3! His effect doth activate, dealing forth 400 points of damage to thine life points! Feel the sting of justice, Witch!" The horn atop the diminutive knight's head glowed and shot a beam towards me. Koyou quickly stepping in the way and taking the blow for me.

I was surprised, "Koyou! Are you okay? Why-"

"You're my girlfriend and I have a hero complex, what did you expect?" he didn't seem at all phased, "This is nothing now."

"Then I shall show you something, rogue, as I send forth a holy blessing that anoints my warrior. The spell of Level Up. Sending one knight to the grave doth embolden him, calling forth a greater hero. Masked Knight LV5! His effect doth strike for 1000!"

The larger beam struck, knocking Koyou back into me, but he remaining standing, " not much. A good hit but no worse than a punch in the face. I've lived through near disembowelment and had broken limbs before."

Gil ended his turn with a pair of face downs.

"Sorry about that by the way." I frowned.

He laughed as he drew, "Oh the broken limb wasn't you and I don't really mind getting nearly disemboweled. Now if you had _fully_ disemboweled me..." he let the quip hang there, then went to work, "I'll take the first turn for this team, pitting warrior against warrior." Placing a spell card into his disk he became all business, "But first, let's break out a little Future Fusion, sending Phoenix Gearfried and Tuned Swordsman from my deck to the grave. I'm not done bringin' the magic though, because I activate the continuous spell card Herculean Power! Once per turn when you control a monster and I don't, I special summon a level 4 or lower gemini monster from my hand, in this case Blazewing Butterfly" a butterfly made of fire burst into existence on the field.

"Too weak." the black knight scoffed.

Koyou smirked, "Someone didn't watch the other duels during the cup! You aren't facing Blazewing! I activate it as an effect monster by normal summoning it while it is already on the field. Ignite! Blazewing Butterfly!" the butterfly blazed red hot and then flew into the air, crashing down and forming a pool of lava. "From the ashes of that effect, a phoenix rises! Phoenix Gearfried, treated as an effect monster!" The white and crimson knight rose up from the molten earth. And on command went after the weaker warrior.

But it was not to be, Gill reached for one of his face down cards, "Thou hath set off my trap most cunning: Martyr's Flag. With this I discard a Masked Knight LV5 from my hand and add its strength to that of the one in battle. His might doth ascend to 4600 points until the end of thine battle phase!" The Masked Knight's hand was thrust straight into the heart of its attacker and the shards of Phoenix Gearfried exploding cut into Koyou.

"Gah!" he hunched over a bit, but did not yield, "Two cards face down and I call it a turn."

Koyou and Aki: 4800 vs Gill & Kodo: 8000

Kodo drew, "I'll activate the spell card Cost Down, lowering the level of all monsters in my hand by 2. Thus I can summon Mind on Air without a tribute." a dark, maimed woman appears with only 1000 attack, very low for the level six monster it normally was. I soon discovered why, "While this card is on the field, my opponents must play with their hands revealed!"

Koyou gritted his teeth in annoyance, "With that, he'll know all our face down cards..."

Kodo chuckled, "Not just that. I activate the continuous spell card Convulsion of Nature. While this card is on the field we flip over our decks, resuming play."

We had no choice but to turn over our decks in our disks.

"With this, I also know what card awaits you each turn. Even though it works both ways." he pointed at us and cued the attack, "I'll attack you directly with Masked Knight LV5 and Mind on Air."

Koyou stood firm in front of me, taking Masked Knight's attack, his knee buckling, "AGH!"

"Koyou!"

Mind on Air rushed in, only to run into a trap, "I activate my trap card: Damage Condenser! By discarding Evocator Chevalier from my hand I special summon a monster from my deck with attack equal to or less than the damage I just took. I took 2300, so I special summon Knight of the Red Lotus! Care to run into 2100 attack?"

"I've done enough for now thank you, so I'll end with this card face down." Kodo grinned, "You're a fool though. You're entire hand is gone! You have to play from your deck, which I can-" Suddenly, Kodo (and I) noticed that Koyou was holding his duel disk behind his back. Sure Kodo had seen his top card before, but his deck had shuffled after Damage Condenser activated, so now only Koyou (and me since he was showing me) knew what his top card was, "That's cheating!"

"I don't wanna hear about etiquette from such a voyeuristic duelist." Koyou shot back. "Besides, there's no rule about where I have to hold my duel disk now is there?"

Kodo growled, "Bastard. Like I said, my turn is over."

Koyou & Aki: 2500 vs Gill & Kodo: 8000

I drew and Koyou whispered to me, "His face-down is Covering Fire. Gill's face down from before is Call of the Haunted. He will use it at the end of your turn to revive his discarded Masked Knight LV5 and level up two of them at once."

"How do you know that?"

"I've always been good at that kind of thing remember? I got better recently. Make your move."

I sighed, "You didn't exactly leave me a lot of life to work with. If he pulls off that combination we lose!"

"Check my face down before you judge me."

I did so. Thinking about it, looking at his Knight of the Red Lotus' effect and remembering his next draw, I went to work, "I activate the effect of Knight of the Red Lotus, special summoning Tuned Swordsman from the grave. Next I summon the tuner monster Witch of the Black Rose!"

Gill chuckled, "How fitting."

I ignored him, lookin at my top card, fate was in my favor, "When this card is summoned I draw my top card, if it is a monster I keep it. If not I discard it and destroy Witch of the Black Rose. I drew my top card, "As you see, it's Gigaplant, a monster card. So I tune my level four Witch of the Black Rose to my level four Tuned Swordsman!" I couldn't remember the little poem Koyou used to summon, so I looked to him, "The honor is yours."

I pulled the card from my extra deck as he did a new chant, the one his father had used, "Fires of destruction, flames of creation, an irresistible force denies the advancing doom! Synchro summon!"

I finished it off as I played the card, "Charge on through, Black Brutdrago!" the dragon appeared thunderously and I activated its effect, "Once per turn by discarding a gemini monster I can use Black Brutdrago to destroy one of your spell or trap cards. I destroy the face down card on my right." the card was revealed as it shattered. Sure enough Koyou was right on the money. It had been Covering Fire. If I'd attacked Mind on Air that trap would have given it Masked Knight's 2300 attack on top of its own, enough to destroy any monster in my deck, including the one Koyou lent me. "I'll attack Mind on Air with Black Brutdrago!"

"Gah!"

I wasn't done, going for Koyou's face down card, "I activate Destruct Potion. I destroy one monster I control and gain life equal to its attack points. I select Black Brutdrago." the monster collapsed into a pool of lava and we regained 3000 life, Phoenix Gearfried rose once more from the ashes of another monster, "When Black Brutdrago is destroyed I revive a gemini monster from my graveyard. Phoenix Gearfried is summoned in attack mode, and attacks Masked Knight LV5!"

Gill cried out in despair as Phoenix Gearfried avenged his earlier defeat.

I still wasn't done, "Finally, I attack directly with Knight of the Red Lotus!"

"YAAAHH!"

Koyou & Aki: 5500 vs Gill & Kodo: 3400

With Mind on Air gone, Kodo wouldn't be able to know exactly what cards I was going to set or which were what, "I set two cards face down. Turn end."

Koyou's ability to read his foe continued to be uncanny as Gill reached for a trap, "I activate Call of the Haunted, reviving Masked Knight LV5." He drew at this turn start, "At the start of my turn, I doth send him to the world beyond but he returns with new strength as Masked Knight LV7!" The final level of his series of knights arrived. However, he threw my plan for a loop, "I activate: Giant Trunade, returning all of your foul plots to thine hand as well as my Call of the Haunted to mine own."

Koyou activated a card effect for me, "When you use a spell, Phoenix Gearfried's effect summons a gemini monster from the grave. Gigaplant returns in attack mode."

Even though putting it in attack gave the enemy a bigger shot at our life points, 2400 attack was harder to destroy than its 1200 defense. Risking damage pretty much assured we kept at least one monster.

"What's it gonna be, Sir Knight?" Koyou egged him on, "Which one you gonna kill?"

"That I shall," the dark knight smiled, "I first activate Masked Knight LV7's effect, delivering 1500 damage unto you." Koyou's battered body absorbed the attack for me. "Then I shall strike down your Knight of the Red Lotus! Never again shall you revive your demons from beyond!"

Koyou grinned a shrugged off the minor battle damage as Phoenix Gearfried shattered. Gill ended with a face down card, most likely his Call of the Haunted.

Koyou & Aki: 3200 vs Gill & Kodo: 3400

There was a dark, almost sadistic look in Koyou's eyes as he took his duel disk from behind his back, the top card visible now to all thanks to the effect of Kodo's Convulsion of Nature spell. The two Dark Signers winced as he drew it, "You may have narrowly thwarted my Future Fusion, but I activate Monster Reborn! Black Brutdrago shall rise again!" Koyou relished in reviving his dragon from the grave and enjoyed even more the activation of Gigaplant as an effect monster, "I second summon Gigaplant and use its effect to revive Blazewing Butterfly in defense mode. I attack your Masked Knight with Black Brutdrago!"

The monster shattered, Gill didn't expect it, but even that slight amount of battle damage, from Koyou, left a gouge in his dark armor, "What foul magic is this? Such power from only 100 damage?"

Koyou smirked, "I don't quite have my new strength under control, so you might what to block this direct attack from Gigaplant."

Fearful, Gill activated his trap, "Call of the Haunted revives Masked Knight LV7! You're attack can't get through!"

The attack repelled, and his hand emptied, Koyou ended his turn, "I end. Hey Kodo, I know you were making sure to spot the top card on my deck. That's right, it's a gemini monster. If you don't get rid of him, I can destroy Call of the Haunted with my dragon next turn. Your big shield will be toast!"

Koyou & Aki: 3200 vs Gill & Kodo: 3300

Kodo glared at Koyou as he drew, "Don't mock me!"

"Actually I was distracting you in an attempt at making you forget what Aki's next card is. Did you noticed she started hiding her disk too?"

Kodo froze up.

"So I guess from that look on your face you can't remember what it was huh? That's just too bad. It could be anything. So much pressure on you this turn."

"Be quiet! I'm a psychologist! Do you think mind games will work on me?"

"Yep. Because the King of the Underworld has weird tastes."

Kodo raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, it seems everyone he selects is a coward. Look at Roman, he fled after getting his rear handed to him. Your partner nearly wet himself in the face of an attack that wasn't even big enough to finish the duel."

Gill was enraged, "You dare assault my honor!"

Koyou ignored him, "And you, Mr. Kinomiya, hid behind your books and your logic, and your research. You can't win a duel without delving into your target's past and twisting it against them!"

"It's a perfectly valid tactic!" Kodo, clearly agitated, got defense, "Using your mind to win is a perfectly sound strategy!"

Koyou seemed to be growing more predatory by the minute. The look in his eyes disturbed me, it was had if he was trying to tear apart his opponent from the inside out, "You've always done things like that haven't you Kodo? Using your intellect and your knack for digging up dirt to get ahead. You know why? Because you were always afraid. You always knew that your own merits couldn't get you past even less qualified people in the force. You knew you lacked something even if you wanted to tell yourself you didn't get those promotions because your superiors were idiots. You don't have what it takes to get ahead. You don't have what it takes to beat me."

"Shut up!" Kodo went wide-eyed, his own inner-darkness turned against him. It was really unsettling, "I can beat you easily! I got power! More power than you could ever dream of!"

Koyou seemed to already have his answer for that ready, as if he'd guided Kodo into saying that. Suddenly, Koyou was surrounded by and aura of light of darkness, parts of the ground around him burning as other parts right beside them were covered in frost, "Really? How much power do you think you have?"

"Ow!" I stepped back, my arm burned slightly by the chilling flames. It was terrifying, the fact that the forearm of my glove had been burned off, but my fingers were nearly frostbitten. What had Koyou become? I'd seen him burn before, and been terrified, but this was more... it was awful... heavy.

Gil was frozen in fear, and Kodo backpedaled, "My god! What are you?"

"Death." Koyou grinned.

Quivering, Kodo couldn't think straight. He let at a cascade of profanities, "I don't have any monster destruction, no trap removal... nothing! I've got nothing! Dammit! I set a monster, then end my turn!"

A few moments passed as I starred at Koyou, before he turned to me, one eye black with a white iris, the other the inverse of that. It was inhuman. "Aki, it's your turn."

Unsettled, I drew, "R-right. I second summon Blazewing, revive Phoenix Gearfried. After that, I revive Blazewing with Gigaplant's effect in attack mode. Black Brutdrago attacks Masked Knight." the knight was beaten, "Gigaplant goess after your set monster."

Kodo freaked out, "Dammit!"

I finished the duel, my mind not really on it, "Next I finish this with two direct attacks, one from Phoenix Gearfried, the other from Blazewing."

The two monsters descended on to the two, reducing their life points to zero. "GAHHHHH!"

Koyou & Aki: 3200 vs Gill & Kodo: 0

Gill fell to his knees, cumbling as Kai-sensei had, "I've failed once again. Forgive me, oh lord in heaven!"

Kodo fell as well, "Don't think this is over, you freaks! This is only the beginning! The others with wipe you filthy monsters from the face of the earth! I'll see you in Hell!"

When they were gone, Koyou grabbed the side of his head and started panting. He sounded like he was in pain. Despite the fear I had of him, I moved to help him, but he snapped at me, "Don't come over here right now!"

I backed away, "K-"

"DON'T EVEN TALK!"

I backed away, scared of this side of him I'd seen before. He'd never aimed that anger at me though. I knew he wasn't angry at me, I knew something was wrong, but even so I was too scared to go to him and demand that he let me help him. It sickens me.

Moments passed and that strange aura finally died down. He turned to me and acknowledged my fearful expression with a pained one, "Sorry about that. I'm not angry... I... I'm dealing with some things right now."

"What was that? It's different than before, when you went up against that other Dark Signer."

"Now isn't the time."

"Koyou, talk to me! What's happening to you?"

He ignored my pleas, getting angry again. He swallowed it down before speaking, "That Dark Signer reached Yusei. Worse still, the rest are mobilizing. They are making their move. Now isn't the time for me to explain. This is war."

"Koyou..."

"After this is settled alright? This isn't about me. This is about the whole world. We have to beat the Dark Signers using any means we have to. We need to focus only on ending this, got that?" There was no reasoning with him, especially since he was mostly right.

Elsewhere, Yusei was meeting an old friend face to face, in the worst way you can be reunited: as enemies. Somewhere else, Jack would soon run into a face he himself knew. The war was escalating quickly and soon the final struggle would begin. I didn't realize then that Gill and Kodo weren't the only ghosts from my past that would rise from the grave.

Next Chapter: A Glimmer of Hope

Set in stone events: Mei comes out of her catatonic state, a challenge is issued, and the quiet before the storm.

Countdown to the End of the Arc (not set in stone): 5


	11. Chapter 11

Episode 11: A Glimmer of Hope and the Darkness of Despair

Ass... a really nice, tight ass. Not that big of an ass, but a very nice amount of firmness. Just the right amount in fact. It fit in my hand just right for maximum enjoyment of the squeezing as well. It was that sensation that cut through the darkness, "Crow?"

It was then that I realized I was sitting upright on a bed, hugging him, and fondling the perfect curves of his backside. He seemed uncomfortable about it, but didn't move for some reason, "What the hell...? _This_ snaps you out of it?"

"Yah!" startled by the realization of the situation, I shoved him reflexively and he hit the floor hard.

"Ow!"

"What the fuck are you doing hugging me in bed and... and... with the bed... and the hugging... and the... What the heck?" I was blushing really bright red and stumbling over my words like an innocent school girl, which I had not been in a long time. If I had ever been one.

He sat up, rubbing the back of his head, "Damn you're strong!"

"Answer me, Crow... whatever your last name is!"

"Hogan, Crow Hogan. Not that my last name matters. I wasn't doing anything wrong. Don't you remember anything? You've been catatonic for two days now."

"Catatonic?" _Why the hell would I be catatonic?_, "What the hell are you talking about?"

He suddenly tensed and his voice became very slightly panicked as he realized that I really didn't recall whatever it was that had put me in that state, "Don't think about it too hard, get your strength back first. You can remember slowly."

"Do I even want to remember?"

He frowned, "Of course not, but it's not something you can just run away from. It will come up pretty quickly.

_That's right_... I thought, remembering almost immediately at that comment. It took a moment to sink in. _Dad's... gone._ It still didn't completely register and I thought at the time that I would cry, but apparently I'd done enough of that. My face filled with realization, but no other emotion at all, "Oh... I..." Somehow, speaking, acknowledging the fact existed verbally, proved too much and brought the pain back to the front of my mind. I choked up and tears started flowing as I covered my face.

Crow grabbed my hand awkwardly to comfort me, "Hey, it's alright. It won't hurt forever-"

My mind roamed back to the prophetic warning that Misty had given me. She'd claimed only loss and sorrow waited in my future. I had tried to not believe her, but it just kept coming in waves. It seemed like nothing but pain and sadness were possible. I was so out of it I barely noticed I had grabbed a hold of Crow and started bawling.

"Why does this stuff keep happening to us? Why does it have to be us?"

"I don't know, but it won't always be like this."

"Yes it will!" I cried out, "God's punishing me! He's making me pay for every single wicked thing I've ever thought or done!"

"Don't be silly-"

"I'm not being silly! I'm a horrible person! I'm nothing but a wicked, dirty _whore_!"

Crow pushed out of my grip and shook me, "Stop talking nonsense! You're just hysterical. I haven't known you long, but I still can't imagine you doing anything to deserve this. It just happened! None of this is your fault."

I shook my head, "You don't know... you don't know the things I've done... the dark thoughts I've had... the unforgivable things I've kept hidden. I'm terrible! I'm a vile, filthy bit-"

Suddenly, I couldn't speak anymore, and it took me a second to realize it was because Crow was kissing me. He was quick to break it off, blush, and explain, "Sorry, I meant to slap you, but it didn't seem to fit the situation and then I just did that impulsively. God, that probably helped about as much as slapping would have."

I was stunned, "You... kissed me..."

"Sorry... I... um... wasn't thinking I guess."

"You freaking _kissed_ me! How does that help anything, you moron?" I put my face in my hands, "You watch too many movies."

"At least you're thinking about something else now." Crow looked away sheepishly for a moment, then swallowed his embarrassment and turned back, "I know we don't know each other that well, but if you need to get things off your chest I'll listen."

"And kiss me?"

"That was an accident! I explained that!"

I had to chuckle, so I guess in hindsight that weird, nonsensical scene had helped some. I wasn't in any better shape overall though. I still couldn't talk to him about it or bear thinking too hard about what was happening. "I... don't want you to hate me." It was true, I really didn't want him to dislike me. Even though we barely knew each other I... I didn't really understand it. In retrospect I'd probably already started to like him in a romantic sense. I've always thought we had a weird kind of chemistry.

"I could never hate you... I mean... I've broken a lot of laws and hurt a few people to do what needed to be done."

Even though I didn't know the story behind any of his many criminal marks, I knew he helped raise orphans, and had the sense to know that "Those things were done for good reasons. I've been nothing but..." Thinking about it I wanted to cry again.

"Talk to me. I'll share whatever burden it is. You couldn't have done anything worth suffering this much. Even if you did, regretting it this much is redemption enough."

"What if I killed someone?"

"You'd never do that."

I raised an eyebrow, "How would you know?"

He shrugged, "I just do. You aren't that kind of person."

I looked away from him, ashamed of myself, "You have no idea who I really am."

"Then tell me dammit."

I glanced into his eyes. He was frustrated, but genuinely desperate to help me. "I can't talk to you about it... I'm sorry... it's complicated... but I'll resolve it okay? I won't let this baggage hang over me any more. After that... I'll tell you everything."

There was a weird vibe in the air... almost as if I were saying I would take care of it so we could go out or something. _Maybe I'm still delirious. Why the hell would we be heading that direction? We just met._

Suddenly, the weird and erratic scene was broken up by the sound of the crash outside.

_Aki's Perspective_

When we got back, Jack wasn't back yet and Yusei was looking battered, but not beaten as he stood over his crashed runner. There was no mystery about what happened. Not long before we'd come across a damaged area where a duel with a Dark Signer had obviously taken place. I got off Koyou's bike almost before it stopped and ran over to the frowning duelist, "Yusei! Are you alright?"

"Yeah." He said bluntly, failing to conceal either the shame he felt or the pain his body was going through.

"You don't look okay."

"I said I'm fine." it wasn't said that much differently, but it was the closest I'd ever heard him get to snapping at someone.

I was willing to relent on that note, but Koyou was not, pressing the issue as he walked over, "You faced a Dark Signer and crashed, right? Judging from your mood you probably lost."

Yusei hung his head, "I wasn't ready for him. He outsmarted me and if my runner hadn't broken I'd be dead right now."

"Well, you can just get him next time right?"

Yusei didn't look so sure, "Where's Jack?"

I didn't know, but apparently Koyou could still sense him, "Still coming back. He ran into a Dark Signer of his own after I sent him back to help. I don't think they dueled since he was already leaving right after we finished ours."

"That's strange. I wonder who it was."

Koyou raised an eyebrow at that, "I take it you knew the guy who did this to you pretty well?"

Yusei started to answer, slowly, but it was Crow, coming out to greet us with Mei, that elaborated, "It was Kiryu, a old friend of ours we didn't even know was dead."

I was so happy to see Mei up and about that I totally brushed that off, "Mei! You're awake!" My mind went back to the past against my will and I involuntarily frowned.

Of course, being a Kou meant Mei noticed that change in expression right away and she looked away from me, ashamed of things I hadn't thought about in years. "Yeah, I'm still depressed of course, but I'll get better with time." She looked to her brother, "I'm so glad you guys got back safely."

Koyou nodded, "Yeah. They were resurrected opponents from the Fortune Cup, Aki's opponents to be specific. No problem really."

Yusei suppressed a sigh, but it was clear he was feeling weak.

Koyou probably noticed, but acting like he didn't, "I mean, they didn't even seem to have Earthbound Immortals or their own marks. Barely above Shadow Drones I'd say."

Yusei stood up, "It doesn't change the fact that I couldn't beat Kiryu. His Immortal was just too powerful. There was nothing I could do."

Mei looked sympathetically at Yusei, but her brother was harder on him, "You can't fall apart Yusei. Not after one loss. You're the one holding these people together. We all need you."

"They have you."

"I'm more tactician than leader. You don't want to put that role on me, believe me."

Mei stepped up, more of a limp really, "Yusei, if you don't think you can beat Kiryu's raw power, then how about you practice against me. My deck is all about raw power really quickly."

Yusei was surprised at the offer, "Are you alright for dueling? Aren't you hurt?"

"It's a card game, Yusei. We can just turn the virtual solid system off you know."

"Right." Yusei nodded, realizing his folly.

Mei looked to me, "Can I borrow your disk?"

"Sure." I walked over and handed it to her.

As she took it my former friend looked at me in the eyes, a bit ashamed, "I need to talk to you later too. Is that alright?"

I tensed up, uncertain, "I guess."

She sighed in relief, "Thank god you don't hate me."

I was about to say something, but Mei didn't give me time, moving away to have more room for the duel.

"Alright, let's go. I'm challenging so I'll go first."

Mei: 8000 vs Yusei: 8000

Mei drew her starting hand of five cards and then one more, "Alright, I'll start off by setting a monster and two face down cards. Turn end."

Yusei quietly drew and then went to work, "I summon Ancient Gear Knight, then attack your set monster."

"Testing the waters I see." the monster flipped, shattered, and its effect activated, "You destroyed Shining Angel, which means I can replace it with a light attribute monster with 1500 or less attack. I choose the level 4 tuner Vylon Prism!" a tall robot shaped like a prism appeared refracting light as it passed through its body, "In case you were wondering: yes, every Vylon tuner is a geometric shape. Ironic, since my geometry grades were terrible."

Yusei silently processed the fact that a tuner meant she would synchro summon on her turn and set two cards, "I'll set two cards and end my turn."

Koyou frowned, "Where's your drive and passion, Yusei? You have to really be into this if you're going to beat my sister."

Yusei glanced over, an expression of self-doubt on his face, as Mei began her turn. She was all smiles, apparently feeling much better now that she was dueling, "I'll just knock some sense into him, I summon Royal Knight." Another robotic angel, this one resembling a winged knight, joined the field, but didn't stay long rising into the air along with the Prism to become the rings and stars of a synchro, "I tune my level 4 Vylon Prism to my level 3 Royal Knight! Storm of the righteous, smite the unjust and clear a path for the ultimate judgment! Synchro summon! Descend in fury, Vylon Sigma!"

Koyou smiled, "And here we go."

Suddenly Mei pressed a button to activate a graveyard effect, her life going down by 500 points, "I pay 500 life points to activate Prism's effect. When sent from the monster card zone to the graveyard I equip it to a face-up monster I control as an equip card. Go: Prismatic Plating!" Prism reappeared on the field, breaking into multiple parts and connecting to Sigma like a suit of armor, soon joined by a blade-like attachment as Mei followed with a spell, "Next I equip him with Vylon Material, giving him a 600 attack boost. Let me guess Yusei, Kalin countered your traps somehow? Well I'll do the same. Trap card: Dust Tornado destroys the face-down you set first."

Yusei's Scrap-Iron Scarecrow shattered, which caused him to flinch.

"Your poker face is gone, I can tell from your reaction that your other trap can't block attacks so I attack Ancient Gear Knight with Vylon Sigma and two effects activate! First, the equipped Prism boosts Sigma's attack by 1000 for the battle. Straight up from 2400 to 3400."

Yusei was shocked, "Huh?"

"Next, since he is the only monster I control, Sigma can equip an equip spell card directly from my deck. Here comes Armed Changer. When Sigma destroys a monster by battle, I return a monster with less attack than his own from my grave to my hand."

Yusei recoiled from the destruction of his monster and the damage he'd taken.

"I add Royal Knight to my hand. Turn end."

Mei: 7500 vs Yusei: 6400

Yusei drew, "I summon Speed Warrior then equip Unstable Evolution. This boosts his original attack to 2500 as long as I have lower life points. Battle! Speed Warrior attack Vylon Sigma, on the turn Speed Warrior has been normal summoned his original attack is doubled during the battle phase." The small robotic warrior's attack soared to 5000 points as it streaked towards the 2400 attack Sigma.

Mei was still all smiles, "But you can't declare an attack on an Earthbound Immortal. Trap card: Power Frame!"

Yusei gasped, "No! That... that one?"

"This trap equips to Sigma, negates your attack, and boost's Sigma's attack points to equal his attacker's. While you'll loose that doubling at the end of the battle phase."

He gritted his teeth, "Sigma keeps his. On top of that he can search equip cards to make his attack even stronger..."

Koyou spoke up from the sidelines, "Are you just giving up Yusei? This isn't how you play. Where's your faith in your deck? What happened to protecting everyone and defeating the Dark Signers together? Are you just going to let us all down?"

"What do you expect me to do? She's too strong!"

"You damn moron! What do I always say?"

Yusei thought about it, coming up with nothing.

Koyou rolled his eyes and elaborated, "Brute force doesn't work on me and you know why? I fight around it. I take what my opponent relies on and take it away. You can do the same thing. You've got the right monsters to win this you've just got to trust in your deck and use them!"

Yusei looked at his deck, doubtful.

"Don't you want to protect everyone?"

Yusei clenched his jaw tight in resolve, "Alright, then it's my turn. I draw!" Looking at the card and the field the strategy that would lead to a turn around fell into place, "I discard Quillbolt Hedgehog to special summon Quickdraw Synchron. Next, because I control a tuner monster I special summon Quillbolt Hedgehog from the graveyard. I tune my level five Quickdraw Synchron to my level two Quillbolt Hedgehog! Clustering roars, turn into an echoing arrow which tears through the sky! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Junk Archer!"

Koyou clapped his hands in congratulations, "There you go! Thinking around the problem! With this you not only land a direct attack, but you destroy all her equips as well."

Yusei cued the effect, "Once per turn, Junk Archer can remove an enemy monster from play. Go, Dimension Shot!"

As the fired arrow struck Sigma in the chest and dragged him into another dimension, everything equipped to it shattered. Mei recoiled on reflex, "Crap! I had so much attack power going too! Oh well. Vylon Material adds a Vylon spell card to my hand when it's destroyed. I choose Vylon Matter."

"Direct attack!" Another arrow sank into Mei herself, dropping her life points by 2300, "I set a card and end my turn. Sigma returns to the field."

Mei: 5200 vs Yusei: 6400

Mei chuckled, "Good to see you feeling inspired again, but I'm not through yet." drawing a card she grinned at her luck and played it, "I activate Pot of Duality. This spell allows me to check the top three cards of my deck, choose on, then shuffle the other two back into my deck. I reveal Twin Swords of Flashing Light – Tryce, Vylon Component, and Vylon Sphere, adding the last to my hand and shuffling the other two back in. You've no defense against my next move Yusei. I summon Vylon Sphere." A small, actually cute sphere appeared with a beep and the effects of a synchro summon began, "I tune my level 1 Vylon Sphere to my level 7 Vylon Sigma. Righteous hammer, serve as gavel for the god of judgement! Synchro summon! Descend in glory, Vylon Epsilon!" Another large mechanical angel, again shaped like the Greek letter of its name, spread iron wings and scowled at Yusei with 2800 attack. Mei paid another 500 life and her Sphere returned to orbit around her new monster, "Like Prism, paying 500 life points equips Sphere to Epsilon, but it won't be there long. I activate the effect of Epsilon, sending Sphere to the grave to destroy Junk Archer!" Epsilon extended a hand and bolts of lighting surged forth and shattered Yusei's monster, oddly a familiar accessory then appeared on Epsilon's arm, boosting its attack, "Sphere's effect activates, when sent to the grave while equipped to a monster, it replaces itself with an equip spell from my grave. Vylon Material boosts Epsilon's attack to 3400 points. Go! Direct attack!"

Bolt's of celestial energy cut through Yusei's life points, "Gah!"

"Turn end."

Mei: 5200 vs Yusei: 3000

Koyou chuckled, "Oh come on Mei, I'm not one to complain about blunt force strategy, but aren't you being a bit thuggish?"

Mei smirked, "Just trying to mimic traits of Earthbound Immortals. They can attack directly you know."

Yusei didn't seem too bothered by the setback, which was a big improvement over his mood from earlier, in fact he seemed pleased with his draw, "I'll summon Synchron Explorer, when summoned, this card special summons a Synchron tuner monster from my gravyard, negating its effect. I summon Quickdraw Synchron." Yusei reached into his extra deck and pulled out another monster, "I tune my level 5 Quickdraw Synchron to my level 2 Synchron Explorer! Seven swords forged from seven hopes strike seven times. Become the path their light shines upon! Synchro summon! Sunder swiftly, Seven Swords Warrior!" a golden warrior appeared, only to be shackled by a huge ball and chain and it's attack reduced to 100.

Mei raised an eyebrow at Yusei's use of the equip spell, "Why would you summon a monster, then not only weaken it, but seal it's attack?"

"This is why: Once per turn, when Seven Swords Warrior is equipped, I inflict 800 points of damage to you."

Mei shrugged it off, "That's good and all, but-"

Yusei reached for a face down card, the one he'd set in his first turn but not used, "I activate Equip Shot. One equip card on my monster transfers to an attack position monster you control and the two must do battle!" Epsilon's attack suddenly went down to 100 and Yusei's went back up to 2300. Epsilon was not match and feel, it's equips shattering with it.

"When Vylon Material hits the grave I add a Vylon spell to my hand, I choose another Vylon Material."

Yusei pressed on, "That was an additional battle, Seven Swords Warrior still has its regular attack."

The golden warrior bore down on Mei, "What? Gah!"

"One face down and that's my turn."

Mei: 700 vs Yusei: 3000

Mei grinned again, this time it was slightly more sinister, "Looks like I wasn't taking this seriously enough." she drew, and enjoyed the new card, adding it to her hand, "I'll summon Vylon Soldier, equip him with Vylon Material, and then activate another spell: Emergency Provisions, sending Vylon Material to the grave to gain 1000 life. Vylon Material's effect adds another to my hand from my deck, which I immediately put on Soldier. Soldier has 2300 attack and can change your Warrior to defense mode when I attack, but I'm not going to do that."

Yusei seemed a bit worried, "Then what's the plan?"

"This. Vylon Matter. I added it to my hand the first time I sent a Material to the grave." She played the spell, "This card sends three equips in my grave back to my deck, and either allows me to draw a card or destroy a card you control."

"That's not good."

"Actually it's great, for me at least. I destroy Seven Swords Warrior and attack you directly with Vylon Soldier!"

Yusei backpedaled purely on reflex. Suddenly the standings had flipped again, with Yusei in big trouble. He'd have to launch a serious counterattack or he'd surely lose on his next turn.

Mei: 1700 vs Yusei: 700

Yusei calmly drew a card, "I activate a spell on my own: Tuning! With this I add a Synchron monster of my choice to my hand and send the top card of my deck to the grave. I add Bri Synchron to my hand and then summon it."

"You've got no other monsters, what good will summoning it in attack do? What, is one of your face downs a revival card?"

"I activate Synchro Material. I select one monster on your field and may use that monster as synchro material. So I'm tuning my level 4 Bri Synchron to your level 4 Vylon Soldier."

"What? No!"

"Clustering wishes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon! Finish this with Shooting Sonic!"

"NO!" Mei was defenseless against the direct attack and her life points went down to zero.

Mei: 0 vs Yusei: 700

Yusei smiled, well... almost, "Good duel. I can tell you weren't coming at me full force, but I appreciate you knocking some sense into me."

Mei chuckled, moping only slightly about losing, "Sure thing. No problem."

Crow was impressed, "Wow. You're pretty strong, Mei. You actually _lost_ to a Dark Signer?"

Koyou spoke up in her place, "He used and Infinite life combo. I only won because he talked too much and I was able to close it before it started."

I was about to speak up when Jack drove up, cutting right to the chase and not even bothering to take off his helmet, "We've got a problem. According to the Dark Signers we only have a few hours until the end of the world."

Koyou replied, "I assume they weren't just boasting?"

Yusei shook his head, "Kalin mentioned something about this being our last sundown."

Jack nodded, "Right. The one after me was more clear about it. We've got to get to the control towers for the old reactor and activated them before sundown or something she called the Gate of the Underworld will open."

"That... would definitely be a bad thing." I turned to see Midori-sensei approaching, "We have to stop that. We don't need any avatars of chaos taking physical form in this world. This 'King of the Underworld' is a greater threat than any of you people realize. This thing is more than a threat to the world. These kinds of things threaten whole universes."

I turned to Yusei, "How much time until sundown?"

He looked at his watch, his face turning dire, "Four hours."

Next Chapter: Gauntlet

Set in stone events: The signers split up to get the job done in time, but what happens when Roman unfurls a plot to keep Koyou away from the struggle? A gauntlet match against a wave of vicious enemies. Can Koyou once again survive 4 to 1 odds?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Downward Spiral

"Mei." My mother spotted me shuffling into the room and called out to me, walking over to give me a hug, which was probably a bit tighter than she thought it was. One side effect of her borderline phobia of growing old (other than the whole 'looking ten years younger than she really was' thing) was that she worked out a lot.

"Mom, I can't breathe. You're stronger than you look you know."

She instantly stopped hugging me, "Sorry. It's just that so much has been going on, and you've been through so much lately..."

"I'll been fine." I smiled, "We Kous are stubborn."

My mother smiled back, but I could tell there was a deep wound in her heart. The love of her life had effectively died recently after all. I didn't have the foggiest idea of all they had been through in their lives together, but I got the impression it was at least on the scale of what we were going through now if not worse. Even an outsider could tell she was taking it hard. A part of her of her was gone, taken away by the Dark Signers.

God have mercy on them if they ever ran into her. My mother has a frightening 'bad side' that you _really_ don't want to get on. To be honest I was shocked she wasn't hunting them down.

"Where's, Koyou?"

I tensed, unsure of how she might react to the news. I hadn't received it all that well myself, but I had no right to keep it from her. "The Dark Signers are making their move. There's only a matter of hours 'til the end of the world and that bastard Roman created a bunch of drones to tip the odds in his favor."

Mother's face became very serious as a spoke, and she cut me off before I could continue, "No... I see what he's doing. Koyou and Crow went off to head off the drones didn't they."

I nodded, surprized she'd figured that out.

"He's taking the wild cards out of the equation. He wants to make sure all the non-signer power players are out of the way. There's four of them isn't there."

"Yeah."

"Exactly enough for Koyou, Crow, you, and I to all have an opponent. There's a good chance that if we don't act they will team up on Koyou and Crow. Or they might give them the slip and two of them come straight here."

"What do you think we should do then?"

Mom thought quickly, "Do you know if the drones have Earthbound Immortals?"

"Not from what I've heard."

"Then we wait here and trust in Koyou." she walked to a seat near the window and kept a lookout. "He and Crow should be able to handle them. If not, I can finish them off when they get here without worrying about the souls of anyone getting taken."

"Mom-"

"You're not helping, Mei. You're hurt." she cut me off, then added, "And don't think of sneaking out to head them off. I already hid the keys to your runner."

"But-"

"No." her gaze turned to me with a firmness that exceeded any other one I'd ever seen her have, "I'm not giving anyone else to this damn fight. We've lost enough as it is."

Giving in, a sat next to her, knowing how much pain and heartache she must have been suppressing. I held her hand and put on my strongest face for her. Whether see liked it or not, I fully intended to make sure she would never get any sadder than that.

I smiled, "I'm sure Koyou has everything under control."

* * *

Koyou's Perspective

"Koyou!" Crow called out to me as two of the four drones slammed into opposing sides of him, trying to wreck him rather than dueling him. It was clear what they were trying to do. He wasn't a Signer, not even a fake one, so they had no obligation to duel him. They were trying to take him out of the equation and I could tell Crow realized that, "I've got this! I won't let them- AGH!"

A precision slam sent Crow's runner out from under him. He quickly, almost instinctively, grabbed a cord from his runner's storage and tethered one of the drones. "You're not getting away with this, you jerk!" It was a deathmatch duel rope, and it dragged one the snared drone to the ground with him.

"Battle Royale Mode Activated. Finish Set. Random Starting Player Selected." My runner was suddenly forced into duel mode. According to the readout it was going to be race-style, no Speed World. The destination was the nearest control tower that a Signer was headed for. Aki's destination...

Koyou: 4000, Drone 1: 4000, Drone 2: 4000, Drone 3: 4000

Fate favored me where it seemed the odds had forsaken me, "It's my turn. I draw. Next I activate the spell card Future Fusion. With this card I reveal one fusion monster from my extra deck and send its components from my deck to the graveyard. In two turns that fusion monster is summoned to my field. I reveal Superalloy Beast Raptinus, then send Tuned Swordsman and Future Samurai to the graveyard. Next I summon Evocator Chevalier in attack mode and set two cards. Turn end." A strong start, two face down cards and a crimson swordsman boasting 1900 attack.

But I had to make it through 3 turns on that. This first of which came with a draw, "I summon Red-Eyes Wyvern to my field."

_"Crap, a dragon deck."_ I thought to myself, and it was justified. Dragon decks were fast, strong and had as much if not even more consistent immortality than a good gemini deck, and mine... well mine was missing a lot of the components for the immortality my father could have boasted.

Out came the dragon support cards. Even though he was lower in attack, he could still lash out. "I activate Stamping Destruction. Since I control a dragon-type monster I can select one of your spell or trap cards and destroy it! I aim for the card on your right!"

I set to work. I activate that trap card, Gemini Booster, and to it I chain my other face down..." my thoughts breifly went back to the moments before I headed out to intercept the drones. Yusei had handed me a pair of the same card. His words echoed in my head when I'd drawn it in my starting hand and right then as I was activating it.

"Here, take this trap. I think it will bring you to a whole new gear. I noticed you favor warriors and this will help you get a particular vital one out really fast." when I'd told him to keep it because he'd need them he smiled smiled, "I have all the copies I need. Just take them. When you draw it, I want you to remember that you've got friends that have your back. I don't have any idea how hard this stuff is for you, but let this remind you that you don't have to handle it by yourself."

Back in the present, that assurance came to fruition, "Have a look at Reinforce Truth! With this trap I special summon a level 2 or lower warrior-type monster from my deck. I summon Gemini Soldier in defense mode. Also, since I turned Gemini Booster face up, its effect on destruction is triggered: Gemini Soldier gains its effect!"

"Not for long. It's only got 300 defense. But before I get to attacking, you take 500 damage from the second effect of Stamping Destruction!"

"Ugh! That's not enough to wreck me. Not when so much is on the line."

"Don't be so dramatic. Not yet at least." he moved to activate a spell, "I equip my Wyvern with Big Bang Shot! With this, it's attack grows to 2100 and it pierces your defense! Now feel that power as I attack your puny little soldier!"

"AGH!" somehow, I held control of my bike despite the hefty hit. I had to move fast, or I was going down. I was already so low in life points and it was only the first of my enemies' turns.

Koyou: 1700, Drone 1: 4000, Drone 2: 4000, Drone 3: 4000

When my soldier remained after the gout of fire enveloped it, my foe was shocked, "What? That should have killed it!"

"Do your homework! One per turn, Gemini Soldier can't be destroyed in battle. Also I activate his other effect, special summoning Tuned Swordsman from my deck." a knight with sword and shield appeared, boasting 1900 attack, just like Evocator Chevalier. The card given as a reminder that I wasn't alone had caused the rallying of many allies to my side.

"Dammit. I set a card and end my turn!"

The next of the three drones started his turn with a draw, but with my strong line of monsters he only had two decently big monsters and something that would only make me stronger if he attacked it. He couldn't do anything to me without spells, traps, and effect monster tomfoolery this early in the duel. I could tell by the look on his face he didn't have anything to clear out that stiff line I had. "I set a monster and one face down, then end my turn."

The third suffered the same wall, "Don't you fools have anything? I summon Gearfried the Iron Knight and end my turn! Blast you!"

"No, actually I'll blast _you_. I equip the Supervise I just drew to Tuned Swordsman. Making it a tuner monster. Now I tune my level 4 Tuned Swordsman to my level 4 Evocator Chevalier!" the swordsman emitted a series of four rings from his shield before vanishing and Evocator Chevalier dash through them, becoming an outline of itself and then four 4 stars, "Fires of destruction, flames of creation, an irresistable force denies the advancing doom! Synchro shokan! Charge on through! Black Brutdrago!" The huge muscular black dragon that had become my trademark came into being in front of my runner, as if pulling a chariot. Beside it erupted a pillar of fire from which Tuned Swordsman was reborn, "When Supervise hits the grave it revives a normal monster or gemini monster, "I discarded from my hand "Once per turn I can discard a gemini monster from my hand to destroy one spell or trap on my opponent's field." I smiled to the second drone, "I'd target your Mirror Force, but that can only protect you. So instead, I'll go after..." I pointed, my hand going from his set Mirror Force to the Big Bang Shot on the first drone's field.

"Crap."

I smiled, "When Big Bang Shot is removed from the field, the equiped monster is removed from the game!"

"CRAP!"

I grinned a sinister grin and shifted Gemini Solider to attack mode, "Now, that set card is useless, since it relied on a monster being on your field."

The man went wide-eyed, "How the hell..."

It was easy if I just let the power make my senses and instincts stronger... if I let the light guide my path.

"Black Brutdrago attack him directly with Brimstone Bash!" The dragon bleached fire slowly from its thick maw, so slowly that has it charged the flame surrounded him. I hit my boosters, doing everything in my power to amplify the virtual impact. Part of me, that sinister destructive part o me, didn't care that man was a innocent being controlled. If they were going to play rough, if they were going to cheat, then I would crush them. The charge hit straight on for a massive 3000 point hit, the damage infused with momentum and the unimaginable destructive force sealed in my body. Subconsciously, I probably noticed the rock outcropping that my attack not only sent him into, but drove him into.

Only his cries of terror as he crashed let me know I had not killed him instantly. Only a small part of me cared.

Koyou: 1700, Drone 1: 1000 (crashed), Drone 2: 4000, Drone 3: 4000

I grinned again at my remaining foes, my body wreathed in uncontrollable dark fire. "I'm not done yet."

Aki's Perspective

"Ow!" my arm seized suddenly, the pain so sharp and severe it was like a knife was carving out the shape of my Signer mark.

Mina, Goodwin's secretary, looked over from the driver's seat of the jeep we were taking to the control tower with concern on her face, "Are you okay, Aki?"

I stared at my mark, which was still throbbing, "It hurts... just like when Koyou faced off against that Dark Signer."

"He must be dueling those drones then."

I glanced in the direction my instincts told me, and I spotted a plume of smoke rising from what was probably a duel runner wreck. My mark was shouting that it wasn't Koyou. Something told me he'd caused it...

"He'll be fine. He's a very strong duelist."

Staring back at my mark again, I knew in my heart it wasn't supposed to ever feel like that. Something was wrong. There was a darkness in Koyou that had never been there before. The Koyou I remembered was a kind and gentle soul to the very core. Not someone that would wreck another duelist, no matter what Koyou would never try to hurt anyone...

Would he? He seemed so different since his father died. Part of me knew he needed someone there for him, to help with whatever dark time he was going through. In hindsight, the other, darker part of me that resented it was something I can never forgive myself for. That horrible, selfish part that only wanted him to be my crutch...

Looking back, what was inevitably going to happen was all my fault.

Koyou's Perspective

"I attack Gearfried with Tuned Swordsman!" The slightly weaker warrior shattered. "Next up. I attack with Gemini Soldier and with its effect call another Evocator Chevalier to the field, who will attack directly as well!"

"Urgh! What the hell? Why is he so strong?"

Koyou: 1700, Drone 1: 1000 (crashed) , Drone 2: 4000, Drone 3: 1500

The second drone looked over to his wounded ally, "Keep your head! We can still win this! He's wide open with that-"

"I'm not done." I motioned to my Tuned Swordsman, "I haven't spent my normal summon this turn after all."

"Dammit."

I activated Tuned Magician as an effect monster, then hesitated, seeing the Reinforce Truth sticking slightly out of my graveyard. I was taken aback. What the heck was I doing? Slamming innocent people into cliffs with delight, reveling in destruction? What the hell was I becoming? With that, my gaze shifted to marks I'd seen appearing before on my arms, the marks that covered the other me, the yellow markings of a Dark Signer...

"No... it isn't true... it can't be..."

The drone looked on, waiting to see what I would do and what I was talking about with an expression much like Roman's condescending amusement.

I was... the power from my father was turning me into a monster. I fought back the realization of something I'd already known deep down, but acted mostly on auto-pilot, "I tune my level 4 Tuned Magician to my level 2 Gemini Soldier." the same routine as before. Rings from shield, the soldier dashing through them. I didn't have my full will in it though. Something else was..., "Guardian of the underworld, grit your teeth. Tear the souls of the unworthy asunder. Synchro shokan."

Darkness coalesced into a humanoid form, like a werewolf with dark blue fur. Instead of clawed hands, each ended in an identical wolf head. The mane of each head was bone-withe spikes and laden with black chains. It's eyes were piercing red but its expression cold. It was a card I'd never even seen before...

"Cast them down. Sirius the Blue Wolf King." On that, I ended my turn with a gesture.

The second drone drew, since the first was gone, "I flip summon Plaguespreader Zombie then summon forth Zombie Master. You aren't the only one that can synchro summon! Rise, Doomkaiser Dragon!" A familiar but undead dragon came forth from the stars and rings. It was familiar both because it looked like a zombie form of my Chthonian Emperor Dragon and because I had fought it in a duel before. It seemed so long ago...

"I attack your Evocator Chevalier!"

The weaker warrior shattered.

"Turn end."

Koyou: 1700, Drone 1: 1000 (crashed) , Drone 2: 4000, Drone 3: 1500

I mostly ignored the next drone's turn, remembering that other time I'd faced a Doomkaiser Dragon. It was against the four other clones of the real Koyou. No... that day I'd fought to prove myself. To prove that somehow, despite being a clone, I was the real deal. The hellish day was all to prove that I was Koyou Kou.

"I end my turn." The third drone ended his turn with only a face down and a face up 1500 attack warrior. He'd not been able to get anything on the field after I hit him last turn. It was obvious he had an attack negating card that needed the monster to be face up. I didn't need power to tell me that.

Because I was a Kou. We're cool like that. Kous also don't become monsters without a fight. My father had carried this fell power within him for decades and I refused to simple fold after a day. As much as I admired him... I had wanted to beat him even more. Yet if I didn't get a handle on this power and defeat Roman, I would never get him back.

Looking to my field, I quickly formed a plan of attack, then I glared at the two drones, throwing off my anger and despair for the moment, "You're in my way." The card I drew went to the graveyard, "Once per turn I can discard a gemini monster to destroy one spell or trap card. I use it to destroy the trap you just set." the third drone's card shattered. I didn't even bother to note what it was ad spoke over his cursing his luck, "I normally summon the other card in my hand: Future Samurai, who will take out your only monster, clearing the way for Sirius to take out the last of your life point. Go! Sinistar Rampage!" The creature descended on the drone, tackling the rider to the ground.

"GAHAHHHH!"

Koyou: 1700, Drone 1: 1000 (crashed) , Drone 2: 4000, Drone 3: 0

The only remaining drone didn't seem that afraid. He just didn't understand the situation he was in. He would learn as I took my next action, "I attack your Doomkaiser Dragon with Black Brutdrago."

"You forgot about _this_! I activate Mirror Force!" Everything on my field shattered like glass as the trap rebounded all of my monster's power right back at them. My foe seemed pleased. Until the chains rose up from the ground and the eruption of lava. "What the hell is going on?"

From the remains of Black Brutdrago rose Chthonian Emperor Dragon, "When Black Brutdrago is destroyed it revives a gemini monster in my grave with its own effect active. In this case, the monster I discarded to use Brutdrago's first effect: Chthonian Emperor Dragon. Also..." the chains snared his own dragon, "Whenever Sirius is destroyed it lowers the attack power of a monster on the field by 2400 points."

"Wait... that means my dragon's attack power is-"

"Zero, and it's still my battle phase. I activate Chthonian Emperor Dragon's effect, which is attacking twice during the same battle phase. Game over."

"No... this can't be! ARGGGGGH!" two meteoric fireballs struck the drone down, his life points hitting zero as hard as he hit the ground.

Koyou: 1700, Drone 1: 1000 (crashed) , Drone 2: 0, Drone 3: 0

It was over and my marks faded. For the moment at least. My thoughts went to Aki, one of the few things keeping me grounded in the face of the evil in my body. She was facing off against a Dark Signer and I full intended to lend her my support. Crow sending me a message that he had won and asking it I was okay was only a brief distraction from that goal. I needed to see Aki... to help her through her own pain, to make her smile.

I didn't know then that it was just one more step closer to the end of everything.

Next Chapter: Revenge

A/N: Sorry for the insanely long delay. Some stuff has been going on in my life and that still isn't resolved. It's been putting a damper on all my writing unfortunately. I hope to update again soon but I can't promise anything.

That aside, I know I bent the rules a little for this duel, but it was for dramatic effect. Technically, the effects of Black Brutdrago and Sirius cant activate on the same timing. It's a stupid rule, but there none the less. Hell, it's so convoluted I might actually be wrong about his particular instance of it.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: You'll notice this is pretty much the same chapter as before, but revised. I modified the duel a bit from the original as well to make it flow into the next chapter more easily. Also, a card effect used here is powered up from the true version of the card in typical anime fashion.

Chapter 13: Revenge and Descent

Yusei had won, I could feel it as I pulled into a ruined amusement park. Actually I had felt the last few moments of his duel through my mark a fair bit before I neared the place. He was headed for the same park, probably as worried about Aki's still fragile emotional state as I was. Maybe he was worried about me too. He had seemed to notice I was acting strange earlier, and (although I didn't fully comprehend how bad it was) my condition as I searched for Aki really was cause for concern.

It wasn't a simple matter of being weighed down by the seal anymore. It was like I was drenched in the despair and rage allegedly 'contained' within my soul. I told myself that I had control, but that was a large exaggeration. I barely had any kind of grip at all. In fact, I only had the most tenuous of holds on my own sanity and identity. Part of me wanted to give into the power. There was so much of it. That part of me, that was likely as much not my own will as it was my own, believed in the godhood that power promised me. Fighting it had me occasionally stopping and leaning on a wall, though at the time I told myself I was just tired for nearly losing it in the previous duel.

Chaos was inside me, running rampant in my mind. Visions of an ocean of nothingness flooded the back of my senses like a lingering idea that kept nagging at me. An ocean that was once a universe, but was destroyed and consumed by rage and sorrow. That void... my void... my universe... to rule and remake as I saw fit. Purity... absolution... free of evil and injustice... all in my hand. In fact, for a fleeting second I could have sworn I saw a card in my hand as I moved it to clutch my head, but it was gone in nearly the same moment as I became aware of it. An attempt to shake my head clear gave me the feeling that I'd been standing in that spot far longer than just a pause.

Though it seemed to be quickly, it likely took a few minutes for me to get the idea of confirming the lost time by focusing on the link and checking for my friends. A dreadful feeling passed over me as a blast shook the fairgrounds and I could feel the Yusei was suddenly on-site. What just seemed like a matter of seconds ago he'd still been several minutes away. Suddenly he was right in the middle of the place.

"What's happening to me?" I thought aloud and looked to the path ahead. I'd made my way into a corridor... but right then all I could see was darkness. Trying to focus only seemed to bring white grid lines and stars into view. It reminded me of something aside from the night sky, "No... NO!"

I hit my knees and pressed my palms against my eyes as if it would drive the scene away. Back in my youth, when Dad had dueled Divine to protect Aki and us from him, he'd had to use the power sealed in him to counter the lunatic's psychic power. At one point he'd gotten angry, and an aura formed around him... an aura that looked like a field of stars with grid lines. That aura, and the darkness that flooded my vision as I tried to reach Aki, was Chaos. The fact it was blinding me meant it was winning. That was something I couldn't allow.

Somehow, I fought it back enough to see my path and I forced my feet to take me where I sensed Yusei. The feeling of urgency increased as I got closer, and it became quickly clear that he was in trouble. Another, smaller blast sounded ahead and I could hear the sounds of a scuffle and then Yusei crying out. The sound drove the Chaos from my vision as concern took over and propelled me forward. I had to help him!

It only took a few moments to get up to the ruined room he was in, to see him hanging from the ledge, and to see the man that had put him there, "DIVINE!"

The man turned, "Oh it's you. Seems like I get to destroy a lot of thorns in my side and take Aki back in one fell swoop."

"You're not taking Aki anywhere!"

He smiled, "Really? She seems to beg to differ. I mean, she was so happy to see me that I didn't even really need to activate the brainwashing."

My gaze followed his hand motion to the ground below us, where I saw, "Aki!"

"She can't hear anyone anymore. I made sure of that."

"AKI! Are you okay? Talk to me!" I shouted but she didn't move from the duel she was in... with the Dark Signer named Misty.

Divine chuckled, "As obedient as she proved to be, she left me once, and I can't let that happen again. As willing as she was to cast aside the way out you fools gave her, I wasn't about to take any chances."

"I don't care how you took control, just let her go. If she doesn't fight that Dark Signer with everything she has, she'll be killed!"

"All the more reason for me to take away the side of her that has a heart."

"You monster! I'll KILL YOU!" The chaos crept back into my vision, advancing into my soul further and further.

Not fully realizing the situation, Yusei decided to chip in, "Hey, Divine, you might wanna glance over at that duel."

Divine did so, and noticed Misty was glaring at him with murderous intent.

Yusei chuckled, "That entire conversation we had a moment ago, that entire confession you just made about killing her brother, that just went out over the live feed function on my duel disk."

"You did that?" I gritted my teeth, "How much more pain are you going to put on Aki?"

Below, Misty was even more angry than me, "It was you... You took my brother from me! YOU DID THIS TO ME!"

Divine simply laughed, "Neither of you have the power to do anything about it. I'm a god among men!"

Moving from the duel field, Misty's Earthbound Immortal advanced towards Divine at her command, "I'll show you a god. Even if it costs me my soul I'll send you to hell where you belong!"

Meeting the tortured model's eyes, so filled with rage and despair, I saw a bit of myself in them. The sight of her losing out to the darkness in her heart pulled me from my own somehow. Some part of me desperately wanted to stop her. That part didn't want her to become a killer. The rest of me just wanted to kill Divine personally. I used one side to temper the other and mostly by instinct surrounded the room with a ring of light and darkness.

Divine was startled, "What?"

The tongue of Misty's monstrous lizard shot out but slammed against an invisible barrier. Even an Earthbound Immortal couldn't break some rules. Misty was filled with shock and anger, "What is this?! What are you doing?"

Coldly, I stared at Divine, "I spit in the face of gods."

Divine suddenly put the pieces together and hesitated. Yusei stared at me in disbelief, "Koyou, no!"

My own expression remained the same as I activated my duel disk, "This is how is was always supposed to end. You and me. Shadow Game. Psychic power versus cosmic power. I'll do what my father was too strong a person to do."

Divine activated his own disk with a grin, "A clash of the titans? So be it."

"DUEL!"

Yusei gave me a disappointed look before levering himself upwards and swinging a bit as he let go of the ledge, dropping to safety on a lower ledge. There was nothing he could do anyway. The field blocked all outside interference.

Koyou: 8000, Divine: 8000

Divine drew his starting hand and then quickly took the first turn with a draw, "My turn! I set two cards face down and summon Psychic Snail in attack mode. Come on, you worthless pest!"

"Too easy. I can read you like a book." I placed my hand on my deck to draw my starting hand, but paused as something terrifying happened.

The light and darkness engulfed everything outside of the duel. I couldn't see anything aside from Divine and our cards. That and an all too familiar field of stars and grid lines. Chaos... everywhere. My foe didn't seem to notice, so I tried to dismiss it, but when my eyes fell back to my deck I felt something wrong. I felt the power I was fighting against creeping into my very being... into my deck.

"Use it." a soundless voice implored me, "Use the power... the limitless power. Destroy him, plunge him into despair."

Trying and failing to fight against it, I drew my starting five and one more. Several of them weren't cards in my deck. I had never even seen the new ones before. Almost against my will, but at the same time by my own choice, I grabbed a spell, "I cast Foolish Burial. This spell sends a monster of my choice from my deck to the graveyard."

I grabbed my deck from it's slot and searched it. It would give me a chance to see what had changed. Regardless of whether I wanted to use the power or not, it wasn't giving me any choice. It had corrupted my deck. Looking through it, it somehow felt familiar, yet different at the same time. In reality almost the entire fundamental strategy of the deck had changed. It was a whole new ball game...

"I send... Lightpulsar Dragon!"

Divine raised an eyebrow as I sent the new monster to the grave, "What is it with you and playing cards you shouldn't have?"

I ignored him, "By sending a light and a dark monster from my hand to the graveyard I can special summon it to the field."

"You don't have any dark monsters in that deck!"

"I send Future Samurai as the light monster. For the dark I send Darkstorm Dragon! From death comes life! Rise, oh avatar of cleansing light! Come forth, Lightpulsar Dragon!" the once grave bound dragon erupted from a pillar a pillar of light, its scales a pure silver and stars erupting from an emblem on its chest to surround it.

It was easy to tell even before Divine's expression didn't waver that he had an attack negating face down card. The man was easy to read. It was Mirror Force, and he'd remembered from our last duel to place it second. The first was a decoy. Not that it mattered.

After all, I hadn't normal summoned yet, "Again, from destruction there is rebirth, from light comes darkness. I tribute Lightpulsar Dragon to summon Chthonian Emperor Dragon!"

"What? That's weaker!"

The black serpentine dragon I had used many times before appeared on the field, but not in the same spot as the tribute fodder as normal. In fact, Lightpulsar Dragon lingered for a moment, the emblem releasing a nova of light that consumed it.

"What's going on?"

"When Lightpulsar Dragon leaves the field I can special summon a level 5 or higher DARK dragon from the grave." The first thing to come out of the new pillar of light was a black tornado, thrusting a dark spike into the air that soon unfurled into a slender, menacing dragon as the summon completed, "I summon Darkstorm Dragon."

Divine stared up at the force in front of him. Chthonian Emperor Dragon was level 6 with 2400 attack, the new dragon was level 8 and boasted 2700, "Your deck is totally different from last time... when did you start playing so many dragons?"

I ignored him, "Darkstorm Dragon is a gemini monster." the dragon erupted in flame as I played a spell, "So by equipping it with Supervise, I can grant it its effect."

It was then that Divine hesitated, stepping back slightly in the face of an unknown power. He was right to.

The black dragon conjured a tornado once again, but this time made from the fires that engulfed it, losing them as the flaming tornado engulfed the entire battlefield, his set cards were torn to ribbons, "By sending one spell or trap I control to the grave, Darkstorm Dragon can destroy every spell and trap card on the field."

"No!"

Before the dust even cleared, a pillar of flame rose from the debris, "I sent Supervise to the grave, so it special summons one normal monster from the graveyard. Future Samurai is reborn and joins my other monsters in a deadly rush."

From the apex of the flames, a slender swordsman fell toward Divine in a downward slash. The psychic duelist was so distracted by the spectacle he was blindsided by Chthonian Emperor Dragon plowing through his Psychic Snail and driving him back into position for the samurai's strike to connect. "Gahhh!"

The swordsman lingered, staring into Divine's eyes with the grin of a man possessed by the devil. Behind him in the dark skies of chaos, Darkstorm Dragon swooped down, once more taking the form of a spike propelled by a hurricane. Divine was too shell-shocked to dodge and was promptly run through.

"GARAAAGHHH!" cries of agony filled the air as the madman fell to his knees and grabbed his stomach. Pulling back his hand he stared in astonishment at the blood that had already drenched it. Not only from the impaling, but the shards of his shattered monster and the sword slash as well, "This... this isn't... This is just like that time I fought your father." He stared at me, his expression betraying the terror he was feeling, "He... he was holding back this much?"

I stared at him, I didn't realize it, but I bore a twisted smile that seemed almost frozen in place on my face as light and darkness swirled around me. I didn't even know chaos had control over me, I was too lost in the raw power, "I place my last card face down and end my turn."

Koyou: 8000, Divine: 3200

"You call me a monster..." Divine struggled to his feet and drew, grinning at the card, "You know, I thought you were useless since you weren't a real signer and I had Aki, but I've changed my mind. I'm going to take both of you back to the lab! I play the field spell Brain Research Lab!" the darkness of the field was replaced as wall and wires grew from the ground, the wires leading to tubes that held brains and were surrounded by holographic scientists. The central pod glowed, "With this field I can place one psychic counter on this card and normal summon an additional psychic type monster in additional to my regular normal summon. I summon Telekinetic Shocker and Time Escaper!" two cartoony guys in hazmat-like getup appeared, "I follow that with Emergency Teleport, special summoning Psychic Commander from my deck. You're doom is set! I tune my level 3 Psychic Commander to my level two Time Escaper and my level 4 Telekinetic Shocker!" the three monsters floated up and became the normal stars and rings, "Strike them all down, my cold iron judgment! Synchro Summon! Come, Hyper Psychic Blaster!" A large man in an powered suit with two enormous arm-mounted cannons descended to the field with 3000 attack points, "Take apart his Furture

The two cannons fired, engulfing my side of the field in energy and disintegrating Future Samurai.

Koyou: 6600, Divine: 3200

When the smoke cleared, Divine gasped at the sight of me, "How? I hit you without holding back any of my psychic power! You should be torn apart!"

Totally unphased and unscathed by the blast, I drew a card to start my turn, and spoke in a voice that was like my own, but very different, "You're no god. You aren't even a cheap imitation."

"You're not human..."

The frozen grin on my face finally shifted... to get even wider, "I activate the field spell card, Chaos Zone!"

White glowing cracks formed in the walls of the lab, from which oozed an ink blackness that consumed and corrupted the wires and machines, pulling them down into the widening void until there was nothing but the grid and the dark. Then, stars lit up across the suddenly wall-free field. It was back. Chaos. There was no stopping it, no resisting it.

Deep down, Divine knew it too, "What is this?!"

My grin got just a little bit wider as I soaked in his fear, "I end my turn."

"That's it?" my foe's confidence swelled back up and little as he drew, "None of your monsters are even strong enough to resist an attack!" He glanced to the face down card I hadn't used to save Future Samurai from his last attack. After a moment of thought, he assumed it wasn't an attack blocking trap, "I attack Darkstorm Dragon with Hyper Psychic Blaster!"

I didn't even flinch from the slight damage.

Koyou 6300, Divine: 3200

"You're not even fighting back! What's your ploy, Kou?" he growled.

I ignored him.

"Fine, I'll set a face-down and end my turn."

I drew. "I set a card and end my turn."

Divine raised an eyebrow and started his turn. "I'll just end you then if you're going to waste my time! I cast the spell card Monster Reborn, reviving Psychic Snail from the grave. Then I use its effect, giving up its attack to give Hyper Psychic Blaster a second attack during my battle phase! He'll start with your Chthonian Emperor Dragon!"

"And end with my trap card: Dimensional Prison! Your attack is negated and Hyper Psychic Blaster is banished from the game!"

Divine gawked as the armored monster was yanked through the veil of stars and out of play, leaving a white hole behind that swirled into a maelstrom, "Why now? And what is that vortex in the field spell."

Again I ignored him, "I activate the continuous spell card Dimensional Fissure. Henceforth, any monster sent to the graveyard is instead removed from play!"

"Wait... what? Your deck relies on-"

"Next I cast White Elephant's Gift, tributing Chthonian Emperor Dragon to draw two cards." instead of simply vanishing, the dragon was pulled through the veil, creating another white storm in it, "Next I banish Future Samurai and Darkstorm Dragon from my grave to special summon." two more holes appeared, "Stare into the endless abyss, despair in the suffering born from within as in gazes into your black soul! Witness... Darkflare Dragon!" A jet black version of Lightpulsar Dragon appeared, forming as if made of the darkness within the veil itself. It boasted 2400 attack, but I was after its effect. "I send the Lightpulsar Dragon I drew and a Darkstorm Dragon from my deck to the grave," two more hole formed as the cards were instead banished, "to banish Psychic Commander from your graveyard."

Yet another hole formed, leaving Divine wide-eyed, "What's going on? You're tearing the field apart! There will be nothing left soon!"

"No, there really won't be." I grinned, "I hope everything you've done to deserve this was worth it. I fully intend to make you feel every bit of pain you have ever inflicted."

The man gritted his teeth through the surging pain of his wounds, "This isn't how you people are supposed to act. Aren't you supposed to be Mr. Goody Two-Shoes?"

"That ends when you molest the woman I love and then brainwash her. That ends when you murder I can't fathom how many people. That ends when you start shattering lives and turning innocent people into lunatics."

"Nothing about the cloning thing?"

"We're so far beyond caring about that now."

"We?"

I paused, snapping to my senses enough to notice what I'd said, and what was really going on. My grin vanish right away, replaced with horror.

Divine chuckled, "So you aren't even in control."

My face contorted, forcing itself into a grin and something else spoke using my mouth and a distortion of my voice, "We don't even care anymore."

My vision cleared suddenly, somehow I could see through the field spell and out of the shadow duel. My first instinct was to check on Aki's duel with Misty, which was still going on. I watched as she stood still mind controlled and grew angrier at Divine. That was replaced soon after by Yusei reaching her and calling her name one time... one single time... and her snapped out of it. He'd done it so easily when I hadn't been able to reach her at all.

A darkness spoke from inside me... jealousy of the hero... the knight in shining armor that I could never be. It warped into hatred... hatred of, "YUSEI!"

Divine, confused, simply stared at me. Confusion was replaced with fear as yellow Dark Signer marks appeared all over my body, the same pattern that had been on the corpse of the real Koyou. Anger coursed through me and I forced the false Signer mark Divine had given me to appear. I ripped power from both the Underworld and the Crimson Dragon. I stared at Yusei as his mark appeared and he buckled in pain from it. I delighted as I ripped power from him and raised my arm to activate an effect.

"I activate Chaos Zone," three vortexes surged into my uplifted hand, formed a card, "I special summon Psychic Commander from beyond!"

"What?! That's mine!"

"I attack your Psychic Snail with Darkflare Dragon and then attack your directly with your Psychic Commander!"

He could only buckle under the assault. "Gah!"

"Trap card: Urgent Tuning!" Psychic Commander and Darkflare Dragon became the standard stars and rings as I chanted, I could almost hear Yusei cry out in pain as I did so, "Flashing ray that tears seas and stars! Roar throughout the world and shake the souls! Synchro Summon! Flashing Karat Dragon – Stardust!"

As the monster formed, Divine stepped slowly away, his back running into the barrier that prevented his escape, "That's impossible! There's only one of that dragon in the entire world! IT'S A SINGER DRAGON FOR GOD'S SAKE!"

The monster looked exactly like Stardust Dragon... covered in Dark Signer markings. It let out a tortured cry of limitless rage. The creature even had the same attack as Stardust Dragon, 2500, and a clear shot to finish Divine.

'I' grinned at my victim, "Now, fall! Feel the power of a true go-"

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted something... Aki, crouched over and clutching her arm in pain... pain that I was causing...

"What are you waiting for?" both Divine and a voice in my head yelled, "Finish it!"

What... what had I become? No... I wouldn't let it beat me! I wouldn't let the madness hurt them anymore, I wouldn't let it twist my feelings for them into something they weren't, "I WON'T BE A MURDERER!"

Divine chuckled, "I knew you didn't have the guts!"

I felt as if I were standing on the edge of a knife. If I killed Divine I would be consume by the power I was supposed to seal, but forfeiting meant I would die...

"Breaking the seal!" the voice inside me laughed, "You can't win! I've won! You can't control this kind of power! Your nothing compared to your father! You haven't got the strenght to defy me! Finish him! GIVE IN!"

I moved my hand over to my deck.

"What are you doing?"

"I won't let you... make me something I'm not!"

"You'll throw your life away for nothing! You'll be letting Divine go and unsealing me for a foolish sentiment!"

"Why do you care?" I smiled.

"What?"

"If you get out either way, why the hell are you trying to convince me not to forfeit?"

"It's pointless! Foolish!"

I chuckled and tapped my deck twice, singling a surrender, "I'm going to die who I really am... and you're coming with me!"

"No! You lunatic! What have you done?! NOOOO!"

Aki's Perspective

Suddenly the pain stopped and my eyes shot to the shadow duel. Through my mark I could sense something very, very wrong. The dark barrier vanished and I could see Divine standing there gloating as Koyou began to slump.

"KOYOU!"

His voice came over the live feed function of his duel disk, "I'm sorry... I'm not strong enough... tell mom and sis that I went out myself... I... didn't let it win. They'll know what you mean..."

His final words spoken, Koyou turned gray and fell to his knees. He shattered into powder and blew away almost right away.

Tears streaked down my face, "KOYOOOOOOOU!"

Next Chapter: The Sin of Failure.

A/N: I recall a reviewer saying he was shocked I killed off one of my major OCs of the series. How's this? Lol. The main character of the fic just died. Sorry to go on hiatus on such a large cliffhanger, but I barely had time to get this chapter up.


	14. Chapter 15

A/N: You might have noticed there is no Chapter 14 and wonder why I'm skipping a chapter here. Well, honestly it's mainly because Chapter 14 would have been even more spoilers for the incomplete fic this is a sequel to. While I have included spoilers for it before, including the ones that would be in Chapter 14 would gravely ruin the experience of reading the previous fic and I'd rather not include the spoilers here at all until I reach that point in the other fic. So instead I'm writing around the events in a way where the flow isn't destroyed too much. Plus getting the chapter right would slow the progress of this fic even more than it has already been delayed. Also Merry Christmas! Here's a longer chapter than normal with a title that is a totally accidental New Year's reference!

Chapter Fifteen: Resolution

My mind was completely out of sorts as I barely managed to finish my duel with Misty and I was forced to watch yet another person that didn't deserve to die get claimed by darkness. I hadn't been able to stop crying since I'd seen Koyou die, apparently at Divine's hands. I'd seen the man I once thought cared about me destroy the man that truly always had. Yusei placed a hand on my shoulder trying to console me, even though he was barely holding back his own tears. I didn't need it in the end though.

Divine made sure of that. The man had always had a talent for stopping my tears and this time was no different as he came out of the building he'd fought Koyou in... clapping. A smug grin was on his face, "Good work, Aki. I knew you were strong enough to get the job done. I don't need anyone else but you. You're stronger than anyone else in this world."

Yusei stepped between us, "Stay away from her, Divine! She's not yours to control any more!"

I grabbed his shoulder, "Thank you, Yusei; but get out of the way."

He looked at me, confused, "Aki?"

Divine smiled, "Yes, come back to me. Your true place is at my side."

Speaking of his side, it was bleeding. The shadow game with Koyou had clearly taken a toil, "How did you beat Koyou?"

"He was weak. You heard him. He wasn't strong enough to protect you, but I am."

"You're lying!" I shouted back.

Divine was surprised, but regained his smirk, "No, I'm being totally honest. Like last time he got a lucky shot in and was in the perfect position to finish me. He went into the duel with some delusion about protecting you, but in the end he didn't have the guts to kill me. He was a raving lunatic, a monster, but he was weak!"

Yusei nearly growled at Divine, it was the most emotion I'd ever seen him express, "No, he was stronger than you could ever hope to be! He refused to_ become_ a monster. You _chose_ to become one a long time ago!"

"Shut your mouth, you naive twit." Divine turned back to me, "Come on, Aki, forget these people. Come back to me. I can protect from all this suffering."

"No."

Yusei stepped forward, ready to defend me.

Divine smirked and aimed knife-like words at my heart, "Are you going to keep letting people get hurt for you?"

"DIVINE!" Yusei yelled and started to lunge forward in anger.

"Yusei, stop!" I cut him off. Divine chuckled, thinking that he had won, but I looked to Yusei with a firm look of resolve, "This is my fight. _I'll_ duel him."

Divine was flabbergasted, "What? Aki, wait!"

I ignored him and kept talking to Yusei, "This is how it was meant to be. In the end it doesn't mean anything if I'm not the one to beat him."

Yusei hesitated, "Are you sure?"

I nodded, "I have to do this for Koyou and Toby as much as myself. Go on. You have to tell Koyou's family what happened and stop Roman. I'll catch up."

"He's brainwashed you against me!" Divine yelled, almost throwing a fit.

Yusei glared, "You're one to talk about brainwashing."

"I only use what tools I need to to protect her." Divine looked into my eyes, "Aki, listen to me..."

He said something, but I couldn't hear it, it was as if my brain didn't register it. I felt my mind slip away, I struggled but my mind fell into a void. I could hear his voice in my head.

"Think of all we've meant to each other."

I was flooded with the memories of the many times he had come into my room at night and told me he loved me, then began what at the time I thought was caressing. It wasn't though. His holding me wasn't even an embrace. Koyou had embraced me, caressed me, loved me. All those times that Divine had said he loved me and asked me to love him back were just using me. He'd stolen all my first times... but Koyou had taken them back.

I struggled against of the control that had seized me so firmly before. My own self-hatred had made me a victim to Divine, but in that moment it gave me strength. I hated the part of me that so easily was swayed by such false emotions when Koyou had shown me the truth.

The truth was something that came crashing into my mind as I broke the control... the brainwashing... _all_ the brainwashing. I trembled in anger and despair as every memory Divine had sealed for his sick convenience came flooding back, "H-how many times...?"

Divine was shocked that I was free, "What? How did-"

"HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU DO THAT TO ME?"

The hair clip holding back my powers flew off like a sprung elastic band, I never found it.

Yusei tried to rein me in, "Aki, no! Don't let him turn you into a monster!"

I glared a whole through Divine and activated my duel disk, "I won't kill you, but I'm going to make you pay for every single tear I've ever shed."

"Aki," Yusei implored, "You have to calm down, this isn't-"

"Go, Yusei." I snapped, "I promise I won't let Koyou down by giving in to anger, but if you don't go save the world right now and leave this to me I will never forgive you."

He was reluctant, but looking hard at me for a second he must have seen that I was in control, "Okay. I trust you."

"Thanks."

Divine wasn't at all happy as Yusei headed back to his duel runner and drove away, "Fine, if that's the way it's got to be..." he activated his disk.

"DUEL!"

Aki: 8000 vs Divine: 8000

I drew six cards the start, "I'm taking the first turn." Looking at my hand I saw a card that I had only recently forgiven myself enough to put back in my deck. In fact, my entire hand was strength I had gotten not from Divine, but from the Kou family. I started with a mainstay, "I normal summon Lonefire Blossom and use its effect, tributing it to summon Gigaplant from my deck." a small bulb left the field, replaced by a familiar bog monster that I had used to terrorize children that teased me. Again it would serve as a weapon against someone that had wronged me, "To it I equip the spell card Supervise, granting it its effect." Gigaplant plunged its tentacles into the ground and unearthed Lonefire Blossom which vanished again to give rise to an ornate rose that bloomed into a masked swordswoman, her mask the same as the one I had taken on when I hid behind the guise of the Black Rose Witch. "Arise, Queen Angel of Roses!"

Divine stepped back, weary of the two powerful monster on my field, each had 2400 attack after all.

I wasn't nearly done with summoning things from my past though, I played a spell that would summon a card that Koyou mother had entrusted to me back when I was in duel academy... a great source of pain for me since it was also the card that I used in the incident that nearly killed Koyou back then, "I activate the spell card Polymerization. Fusing together Queen Angel of Roses with the Fallen Angel of Roses in my hand I create..." the two monsters swirled together and in a flash a statuesque ivory figure adorned with gold and held aloft by four rose petal wings, two black and two red, descended from the heavens, "Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel!"

My opponent was awestruck, "What is that card? I've never seen you use it!"

I ignored him. He wasn't worth the explanation, "I set two cards and end my turn."

Divine grumbled as he drew, "You've picked up some bad habits from Kou. I'll have to beat it out of you! I summon Psychic Jumper. After all the work I've done to reach this point whatever power you have is rightfully mine! I pay 1000 life points to activate Psychic Jumper's effect, swapping it for Rosaria!"

"I activate Rosaria's effect. Once per turn, I may negate the effects of all cards currently face up on the field." As Divine's monster leaped at Rosaria as wave of rose petals drove it back to the other side of the field.

"Dammit! In that case I cast Emergency Teleport, special summoning Mind Protector from my deck. I tune my level 2 Psychic Jumper to my level 3 Mind Protector. Synchro Summon! Magical Android!"

Fitting that he would desperately summon a female psychic robot, something he'd been trying to make me into."

"I set one card and end my turn!"

The only monster he'd been able to summon was only 2400 strong. No match for Rosaria, not that it would be on the field long, "I activate the trap card Call of the Haunted, reviving Queen Angel of Roses from the graveyard. During standby phase her effect destroys the weakest monster on the field, since there's a three-way tie I get to chose which one dies, and I chose your Magical Android." the swordswoman lashed out splitting her target in half and destroying it. I resumed my turn by drawing and ignoring Divine's frustration. It was Gigaplant, and after a moment of thought I realized that yet more power from my time with the Kous was coming to help me. It was the perfect card to destroy Divine's face-down, I just had to set I up, "I activate the effect of Gigaplant again, summoning Lonefire from the grave and tributing it to summon a plant type monster from my deck. I summon the tuner monster Nettles and tune it to Gigaplant." a mischevous bush appeared and joined Gigaplant in a synchro summon.

Divine recognized the danger, "I know that move! You got that from Kaigen Kou!"

I began the summoning chant, "Fires of destruction, flames of creation, and irresistable forces denies he advancing doom! Synchro summon! Charge on through! Black Brutdrago!" the poweful balck dragon roared to life on the field and a geyser of flame gave rise to Gigaplant once again, "Supervise activates when it goes to the grave, reviving Gigaplant, which I second summon!"

"Dammit! DAMMIT!"

I discarded the Gigaplant in my hand, "I discard a gemini monster to activate Black Brutdrago's effect, Preemptive Punishment!" the dragon inhaled the card and shot it out as a fireball that destroyed Divine's last line of defense. "Then I revive that discarded monster using Gigaplant!" My activated Gigaplant pulled the other one from the ground.

"Damn you! Damn you and that entire family to hell!" Divine yelled, infuriated, before he realized something and smirked, "You promised you wouldn't kill me and you don't have control of you powers! You can't attack me or you just prove your a monster like Kou! You can't risk an attack with that much power!"

I stood ready to send four powerful monsters after Divine's exposed life points. Brutdrago's 3000, Rosaria's 2900, and two Gigaplants with 2400 each. It was more than enough to win the duel in one massive attack and then some. The problem was that Divine was right. There was no way I was going to be able to hold back enough to not kill him. I would be surprised if there was anything left.

I lifted my hand to signal the attack.

"W-wait! Y-you promised! You swore you wouldn't kill me! You can't do this!"

"If there's one thing I've learned, Divine, is you never get anywhere without trying."

"What's that got to do with-"

"If I want to move forward I have to take the first step."

"Hang on, you can't be serious! You can't kill me! Not after all I've done!"

"I'll _try_ not to." my arm came down, pointing at my opponent, "Get out of my life!"

"No! NO YOU CAN'T! You-"

Aki: 8000 vs Divine: 0

Mei's Perspective, Moments Ago

"Mei!" Crow rushed to my side as I buckled over a little, "Are you okay?"

I tried to shake the weird sinking feeling that had suddenly come over me, especially when Mom came in the room to see what was going on, "I'm fine. Don't get so panicked, I just got a little dizzy."

"You shouldn't be walking around so much in your condition. You just had a surgery."

He tried to help me to the couch, but I insisted on going of my own power, "God, you're such a mother, Crow. Take it easy."

"I will when you do."

Glancing over at my mother, I saw her smile briefly at the sight of Crow dotting over me and my protests. In the hours since Dad's death and the battles began she had been putting on a strong front, but nothing else. It was good to she her smile even a little. Anything was better than the thinly veiled half-dead expression she had been wearing. I understood it though. Even though it had annoyed the heck out of me when I was growing up, she and Dad had been so in love that they could barely contain it. Even after nearly twenty years of marriage they were like newlyweds, which by all accounts defied all logic. I still remembered the times before the incident at the school with Aki, Dad was forbidden from entering the kitchen while Mom was cooking or washing the dishes because seeing her being domestic drove him wild for some weird reason.

I looked away from her. Thinking about domestic bliss just reminded me that I could never have kids. It depressed me, but I shook it off quickly. With everything that was going on, it was stupid and selfish to think of that. Especially when I had bigger things I still hadn't processed.

Crow seemed to pick up on my mood and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. I looked him in the eyes, "Why are you taking care of me so much? You've barely left my side."

"What kind of guy would I be if I left you to your own devices? Am I bothering you?"

I placed a hand on his, "No. Of course not, but don't you want to go out their and fight them too?"

"Yeah, but I'm holding the fort. There's plenty of us out there already. I wouldn't make as much difference as I'm making here. What if Roman tries to take more hostages?"

"What if he tries to use me against my family again." I stated bluntly.

"Not just you." he assured me, "Everyone here is at risk. I'm protecting all of you."

I noticed Mom was covertly listening in, Crow didn't seem to know she was there, "Not my Mom."

"Hm?" Crow was a little confused.

I smiled, "She's protecting everyone here too. Even you. You have no idea how strong she is."

"Well, she's the principal of a duel school, so I guess she must be good."

"You haven't seen her angry either." my smile grew wider, "If she loses her temper this whole war is going to be over in three seconds."

The woman is question decided she'd been spotted and came into the room, her mood brighter. She walked over and gave me one of those small, but firm hugs you give to people to console them, "Hey, Sweetie. I'm glad you're feeling better."

"I still can't go out there and help and that's worse than the pain and the permanent injuries."

"I know. I'd be out there too, but it's not our fight. We have to trust in them and make sure nobody tries to exploit the innocents here."

I nodded.

She turned to Crow, "Thanks for looking after her. I feel terrible that I've been leaving it to you. I should be doing this."

I hugged her, "It's fine, Mom. I know you're trying your best."

Crow nodded, "It's no big deal, Professor, I'm here because I want to be."

"Thanks either way."

I looked her in the eyes, "How are you holding up? I know how much Dad meant to you."

A little bit of her energy drained, for a brief moment letting me see past her facade of strength into her real state. She was just a step away from a broken husk, from collapsing into a sobbing pile of person. She wasn't letting her sadness overtake her though, for our sake. It wasn't healthy, "Honestly, not well at all." she understated, "He and I have been through so much together, even before the marriage and child raising, the incident, then all that's being going on. So much."

"You two never told us much about your past, but I've gathered you two have gone through this kid of things before."

"Four times. Five now."

That caught me off guard, "_Four times?_"

Crow was shocked too, "It makes sense though. This has been happening for ages according to what the others have said."

Mom nodded, "It was only so bad when we had our turn at it because the cycle got screwed up. Compared to the chaos back then, this is nothing."

"I find that bit had to imagine."

"Heck the fourth one had the entire planet kidnapped to a dark dimension, the time before that was freeing a parallel world from the hands of a mad empire that threatened to destroy all life in every dimension."

Crow chuckled uncomfortably, "Yeah... that kinda makes this whole thing seem kinda small-time."

"Make no mistake, this is big too. The current conflict is small, but the price of failure is just as high. These people don't just want New Domino City, they don't just want the Earth. The force these people serve wants to destroy the entire universe."

I nodded.

"Enough about that." Mom frowned, "Everything will be fine. I trust them and I trust your brother is strong enough to handle his part in all this."

"Yeah."

Martha came in suddenly, "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to check her bandages. Step out for a bit, Crow."

I gave his hand a squeeze and smiled at him, "See you later."

He nodded, tried his best to return my smile, and left the room.

A few moments later, Mom's phone rang. When she answered it I could here barely enough to recognize that it was Yusei on the other end, but not what he was saying. The look of concern on Mom's face was unmistakable though, "What's up? Why are you calling? Are they headed our way?"

Yusei said something, Mom nearly dropped the phone in response. For an instant before she hid it it looked as if her entire world had just imploded. She was a totally broken woman for less than a second before her expression turned cold and resolved, "I understand. Roman is probably at the old reactor. These types tend to have a flair for theatrics and the reactor was the center of all that destruction years ago. I'll see you when this is all over."

She hung up, but didn't look at me. The expression on her face was one I'd only ever seen one time, and that was when Divine had caused trouble at the academy years ago. It was a look that meant she was going to end somebody.

It scared me, "Mom? What's going on? What's happened?"

"Nothing, Sweetie. We'll talk later. Don't worry. Everything will over soon." on that note see walked out of the room. To end someone.

"Mom, wait! What's going on? Mom!" I tried to get up, but I couldn't move well at all without the bandages bracing my wounds.

Martha held me down, "Stop. You'll pop your stitches!"

"Crow! Stop Mom!" I yelled.

I heard the sound of my duel runner starting and speeding off, but not Crow's. He instead came into the room I was in, backing off and covering his eyes when he noticed my shirt was still off, "Sorry! I tried, but by the time I got to the garage she'd jammed my ignition and headed out. What's going on?"

I trembled a little. Putting the pieces together my eyes widened and I could feel myself going into shock. The odd sinking feeling had been a lot like the feeling I'd had when Koyou fell in the incident years before, and Mom's reaction..., "Koyou's dead... Mom went after Roman."

Crow was dumbfounded.

I was in tears, entering hysteria, "Please... please, Crow, do something! I can't loose everyone... I can't! I CAN'T!"

Martha called out, "Doctor, we need tranquilizer's in here! Now!"

"NO!" I thrashed, popping a stitch, "I CAN'T LOSE EVERYONE! I CAN'T!"

Yusei's Perspective, Not long After

Entering the ruins of the old reactor, I was only a little amazed to see it was still working. I didn't have any time to soak in the fact that I was finally seeing the thing my dad had spent his life working on, or that it was working again. I only had time to note that the man walking out over it on a makeshift bridge, Roman Goodwin, was the one behind everything. Twisting my father's work into something it wasn't, killing Koyou's father, the slaughter of thousands, even indirectly Koyou's death. I wasn't prone to hatred or seeking revenge, but that man was pushing me to that kind of place. It almost wasn't about saving everyone anymore. After everything I almost only wanted to beat him for the sake of ending him. Only the fact that ending him might fix everything kept me from giving in to my anger.

"In the end, it comes down to you and I. Fitting that the son of my former partner would be come a Signer and defy me."

I stared the man down, "Why do all this Roman?"

"I had little choice in the matter. The King of the Underworld will rise. That much is inevitable. No matter how many times we try to fight it he will eventually win. I just decided to be on the winning side."

"You can't know that! He's never won before, and he wouldn't be breaking out now if not for you!"

"It was coming. I tried my hardest to delay it, but in the end he always wins. He was coming either way. I didn't believe your father's warnings, and started tapping into powers man was never meant to wield with this project of ours. We wanted free energy to put an end to all the wars over such a small thins, to bring every one together. We found it in what he called the Yusei Particle, the particle he named you after. It was the energy that binds all life and creation together. The answer to more things than just free energy, and a doorway we should never have opened."

"To the underworld?"

"Worse than that. I don't know how much they explained to you, but in the grand scheme of things, this one conflict is merely a spoke of a larger cycle."

I thought back over the explanation I'd been given by Koyou's father not long before his death. Everything started clicking, "Ener-D is-"

"The very essence of the universe itself! When we made the reactor I made a fatal miscalculation, one that opened up a struggle that should have been stopped. My punishment was to be afflicted with the mark of a Dark Signer... and a Signer. Both sides of the conflict flowed into me, tearing my mind and body apart!"

"_You're_ the fifth signer?"

"Not anymore. In the end," he held up his arm showing the mark of the spider, "The side that will always win in the end won over. I choose my side and cut the other off."

"You chose to become this way! To do all this!" I stood firm, "I choose to-"

Suddenly the sound of a duel runner echoed through the reactor, I turned to look towards the sounds and barely dodged out of the way of it. Mei's runner, with her mother riding on it. The look of rage on her face would have given me nightmares if I hadn't already seen so much in the war. She cried out Roman's name as she drove the runner over the rickety bridge, boards flying everywhere. She intended to run the man over, but he ducked and manifested a monster to shield him, causing her to ramp off it and crash into the wall.

"Professor!" I called out to her...

… but she was already on her feet and rushing at Roman, who cackled, "You can't end this! You're not a Signer! Only a Signer can decide the-" his words were cut off by a devastating right hook from the professor that sent him stumbling, "What are-" a left, "You're insa-" a right. The woman was beyond logic or caring about anything but inflicting pain. There was only a burning hot, seething rage in her eyes. Roman took another shot to the face before backhanding her, which had little effect on the rabid mother, "You're trying to kill me with your bare hands, with everything you have." He chuckled, dodged another swing, "World be damned you just want me dead! Ha! Ha! H-" she kicked him solidly in the gut instead of throwing fruitless punches and I stood in disbelief at the sight of her as she grabbed Roman around the neck and began trying to strangle him. She wasn't just choking him either, her nails were driving into his neck and blood was flowing. As menacing and crazed as she was, it was easy to forget that Roman was actually much larger than her.

"Professor?"

Roman punched her square in the face, then accented each strained word with another blow as they kept failing to knock her away, "Let... me... go!"

Seeing cuts appeared on her face from the strikes I finally snapped out of the shock and moved to help her, "Professor, stop! Get away! You're going to doom-" my foot fell through a board on the damaged bridge. It was so weak it might as well have not ever been there. Looking at the bridge, it looked like it would give at any moment, the duel runner charging over it had made it even more a shambles than it already had been, "Professor, you have to get off the bridge! It's going to collapse!"

Roman tried to pull her arms lose, but it was pointless. She was just too crazy with rage. "Let me go you foolish wench!"  
She roared at him like she was possessed by a demon, "You killed them! You killed them! I'M GOING TO FUCKING RIP OUT YOUR SPINE AND SHOVE IT THROUGH YOUR BROTHER'S CHEST! I'M GOING TO WEAR YOUR SKIN AS A SUIT WHILE I BURN EVERYONE YOU'VE EVER LOVED ALIVE!"

"I told you to get your hands off me!" with a shout of anger and calling upon his dark power, Roman overpowered the woman, breaking her grip. I tried again to advance and help her, but agains the board I tried to reach snapped. I couldn't get to them or stop Roman from grabbing her and throwing the professor from the bridge.

"No!" I stood helpless as she fell towards the swirling energies of the reactor, her rage replaced by realization and fear, her yelling with screaming. I called out, "PROFESSOR!"

Suddenly, she stopped and swung to the side of the reactor as if someone had grabbed her arm. A moment later, through the vortex a figure appeared from thin air, a familiar one but wearied and unshaven. He just appeared as if he'd been climbing out of the reactor the entire time. Professor Midori gawked at him, "K-Kai?" she shook her head and blinked hard to clear her vision while the figure helped her a solid foothold to climb from.

"No, Mom. It's me... I'm back."

"Koyou!" I called out, as stunned as I was elated, "How the heck are you here?"

The two of them climbed up, the Professor crying tears of relief as she collapsed to the ground, "What is it with the men in this family and coming back from the dead?" she laughed a little, "I should have known it was just business as usual."

"Sorry, Mom." he hugged her, "I'm back now, and my head's on straight."

"Good."

"I'd explain, but I have something to take care of first." Koyou glared at Roman, then turned to me, "It okay if I get this?"

I nodded, "After everything this is even more your fight than it is mine."

Roman scoffed, "You're not even a real Signer! You can't reseal the King of the Underworld!"

Koyou started to speak, but I cut him off, "Koyou has always been one of us. Darkness, cloning, or whatever else won't change that. He's got this." I turned to him, "Take him down!"

Koyou pulled a deck out of the second belt-mounted case he was carrying, the one I knew he was carrying his father's deck in, "Let's do this right. I'll show you Dad's strength, the strength that would have ended you if you hadn't run from it!" he slipped in a few cards and took a few out, "And join it up with my own!"

Roman stepped from the bridge to the walkway on his side of the reactor, the side Koyou and the professor has climbed onto, "So be it! Fail again, fail like your father!"

Koyou stepped forward and surrounded the two of them in the dark ring of a shadow duel, "This time, you'll lose. I won't _let_ you run. _I'm finishing this_!"

Both players activated their duel disks, "DUEL!"

Koyou: 8000 vs Roman: 8000

Koyou's Perspective

"I'm taking the first turn." the Dark Signer declared, drawing his starting hand, which he smiled at the sight of, "I set two cards face down and end my turn."

No monsters, which meant he either had none or wanted me to attack. I could tell it was the latter, so I decided to test the waters, " I summon Dad's Tuned Magician!" a mage in flowery Shakespearean garb appeared with the typical whooshing noise. It turned to me and nodded before I returned the gesture and sent after Roman, "It will attack you directly!"

Roman flinched as he was blasted with rings of magic, "Since I suffered a direct attack I activate the trap card Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, special summoning one Dark Spider from my hand and another from my deck."

He was going for his Earthbound Immortal, and from what I'd learned from Luna during my brief foray into the Spirit World, I also knew that meant he had a field spell ready to go. Too bad I didn't have anything to prevent the summon. I looked back at Yusei, and then at my mother. Yusei would be fine, but Mon wasn't a Signer... and Roman was blocking the only she could take to get away from the danger.

I turned to face my foe, "You bastard, you stood there on purpose. Even now you're too cowardly to face me without taking my mother hostage!"

Mom seemed to understand, "Don't worry about me. As soon as you beat him I'll come right back. Him sacrificing me to his Earthbound Immortal doesn't scare me at all. I believe in you."

I breathed deeply and focused on the things that mattered to me, "Mom, while I was on the other side I found out Dad's secret... I found out just how much he loved us. He loved us enough to overpower all the hatred and despair in the universe. So much he could bend all that to his will."

"He never did anything halfway." Mom smiled.

"You believe in me, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"I love you, Mom. I glanced at Yusei, I love you too, Man. No homo."

Yusei smiled.

"I'll tell you to tell Aki and Mei I love them, but I'm going to be back."

"Back?" Yusei looked confused, and I imagine he freaked out a little when I smirked and engulfed the duel in a sphere of shadow.

Roman looked around, "You've managed to gain control of it."

"Just barely. You'd be amazed how much stronger a person gets when you threaten loved ones."

"Not really, I've seen your mother angry." Roman joked.

I chuckled despite myself, "Anyway, we're partially in the Shadow Realm, so summoning your Earthbound Immortal doesn't require nor will it cause the sacrifice of innocent souls. We're surrounded by darkness after all."

"How kind of you."

"I set two cards face down, and end my turn."

"On that note," Roman drew, "I activate the field spell Spider Web." the field became a series of pillars on which a web was built, "Then I tribute my two Dark Spiders to summon Earthbound Immortal URU!" a massive spider easily the size of skyscraper stepped from the darkness and let out a cry, "I will attack you directly! Feel the agony of your impending doom!"

The massive monster shot forth a stream of energy webs, tearing into my body and ripping my battered shirt, "AGGGH!"

Koyou: 5000 vs Roman: 7200

I discarded a card, then reached for a trap, "You've triggered our trap card. More than one can play at benefiting from damage. Damage Condenser allows me to summon a monster with attack equal to or less than the damage I just took. You have an impending doom? Prepare to meet and irresistible force! I special summon Dad's Lonefire Blossom!"

"What? That little thing?"

"Also, I discarded The Fabled Cerberel to activate that trap, its effect special summons it to the field." an adorable, multi-headed puppy rose from the ground.

"I hardly think a small dog can stand up to an immortal."

"Just wait."

My foe sneered, "Either way, I discard a trap card to activate the spell card Destiny Activator! Whenever you draw you must reveal the card. If it is a trap Destiny Activator is destroyed and halves your life points! Turn end!"

I drew, then revealed the card, "It's a spell card: Monster Reborn."

"Destiny Activator doesn't trigger, but it is only a matter of time."

"No. It isn't." I smirked.

"What?"

"I tribute Lonefire Blossom to special summon Dad's Gigaplant from his deck. You recognize it right? Well I second summon it!" the bulb gave way to a large swamp monster, which promptly unearthed the bulb again, which bloomed once more into a small bush, "I revive and tribute Lonefire once again to special summon Nettles from his deck then tune my level two Nettles to his level six Gigaplant!" the two monsters advanced, becoming the standard stars and rings, "Fires of destruction, flames of creation, an irresistible defies the advancing doom! Synchro shokan! Charge on through! Black Brutdrago!" My ace appeared on the field with a roar of defiance, "Tremble. This is the power my father had, the power you cowered and buckled in front of. The power you could never hope to resist!"

"You're nothing. Just like your father. The darkness will come. You are the one that cannot resist what is coming!"

I extended my hand towards Cerberel and Tuned Magician, the two becoming rings and stars, "I tune his level two The Fabled Cerberel to his level four Tuned Magican! Come, oh children of the night! Form a storm to consume the souls of the unrighteous! Synchro shokan! Gather the perfect swarm, Tempest Magician!" a small bat appeared, dropping a gem that shattered and became a woman in dark blue robes and wielding a spectral scythe. "When synchro summoned, a spell counter is added to Tempest Magician." I pointed to the lingering bat, "I discard a gemini monster to activate Black Brutdrago's effect: Preemptive Punishment destroying your other face down card!"

"Gah!" his trap was incinerated.

I discard another card to add a spell counter to Tempest Magician and use her effect, removing every spell counter on the field to inflict 500 times that much damage to you. That's 1000 points!"

"Ack!" The two bats streaked forward on wing of darkness, lashing out his life, but he quickly recovered, "It doesn't matter! You can't attack me with my Earthbound Immortal on the field!"

"Trap card open! Destruct Potion! I destroy Black Brutdrago, gain 3000 life, and trigger it's second effect, reviving Gigaplant from the grave with its effect active." Gigaplant unearth Nettles and the two became synchro material once more, "Assemble cogs of industry, spurn your rejection and rain the ruins with destruction! Synchro shokan! Grind them to a halt, Scrap Dragon!" a dragon made of rejected mechanical parts assembled from the wreckage around us. "I activate Monster Reborn! Returning Black Brutdrago to the field. Scrap Dragon's effect destroys one card on my side of the field to destroy one card on your side. I destroy Black Brutdrago to destroy Spider Web!"

Scrap Dragon unleash a shrill cry, reducing Black Brutdrago to a pool of lava and shattered the field like glass. I dropped the protective effect on the field as the Earthbound Immortal's weak point, requiring a field spell to exist on the field, returned the giant to the earth.

Yusei was relieved, "Koyou!"

"Told you I'd be back, and by the way," from the remains of Black Brutdrago rose Gigaplant, "So is Dad's Gigaplant. Again... with its effect. Which I'm using again. To synchro summon, again. Charge on through! Black Brutdrago! Show him what true immortality is!"

Scrap Dragon and Black Brutdrago rushed in, bearing down on my foe with 5800 attack points. Roman was driven to the ground by the first attack, and Brutdrago was more than happy to ram its head into Roman and grind him along the ground and plow him into the far wall. "AHHHRGH!"

Koyou: 8000 vs Roman: 400

I stepped forward, moving the battlefield to him as I loomed over him and coursed with the power of my inheritance, "Stand up, Roman. Have some dignity for once in your life."

To his credit, the man forced himself to his feet, "I'm not done. This isn't over!"

"You're finished Roman." Yusei stated factually.

I drove the point home, "You were never a match for my father. Don't make me finish you off. End this while you're still breathing!"

"I can't... it's out of my hands now." he laughed, "In the end, it turns out the one I thought might save us was the final boss all along."

Mom stood up and asked the million dollar question, "What are you talking about?"

I answered it, "His brother, Rex Goodwin. Thinking about it he seemed to know who the last Signer was when we asked and said he would appear when it was time."

Yusei figured it out, looked to Roman, "The arm you cut off back then!"

I nodded, thankfully having heard his early exchange with the man, "Rex has one fake hand. He's probably waiting to put Roman's in its place, but that doesn't mean anything. He won't get any special power that way."

Roman smirked, "He outsmarted me, I thought he honestly wanted to stop me."

It made sense after hearing that, the last piece fell into place. In fact everything made sense suddenly, "He dueled you and lost on purpose."

Roman nodded.

"Becoming a Dark Signer so he could put the arm on and have both marks." I looked at my own arm bearing both marks, "The whole time he wasn't after the power of the Signers, he was after both... the power of the very essence of the universe. That's why he chose me for the cloning project. I had the potential to get both marks, it's in my genetic code!"

Mom went a little wide-eyed, "Come to think of it, Aki's father works with the government. He said a friend in Sector Securities referred him to us."

"Rex..." I stood astonished.

Yusei was in the same state, "That means... everything that's happened, even that Aki going to your school and accidentally killing you..."

"Was all part of Rex Goodwin's master plan." my hand went to my face in shock, "All this time I thought he was being quiet, lying in wait to strike..."

Mom frowned hard, "He struck a long time ago."

Roman strode forward, "Stop him. Maybe, with strength like you people have shown you can make it matter."

With that, he feel backwards, tapping his duel disk twice to signal surrender as he fell backwards into the reactor.

"Roman!" Yusei called out, but the man was gone.

Not surprisingly, winning the duel wasn't stopping the countdown to destruction. After all, we still had another enemy to defeat. I could feel him, could feel the shift of the energies flowing through my body as he attached the arm and became both kinds of Signer, and most certainly felt the shift in our positions as he reached out with his new power and drew us across the distance between us. We stood at the foot of the Shrine of the Crimson Dragon that he had shown us before. I couldn't see him, but the ground shook, the temple rising from the ground and taking us along with it until the courtyard was at ground level and the pinnacle towered over the city. With more light, I could see the Yusei, Mom, and I weren't the only ones brought there. Aki, Jack, Leo, Luna, even Crow, Mei, Trudge, and Mina were there. The man liked an audience.

Proven by his taking a spot at the pinnacle of the shrine and booming his voice over a microphone. We all looked up, that man was shirtless and had grown more muscular, all over his body were the markings of the Dark Signers. On his new arm lay the final mark of the Crimson Dragon. On his face was a grin, "Welcome, to the dawning of a new age!"

I looked to Yusei, "Well, you up for one more?"

He'd looked a bit concerned, but my non-chalant attitude when faced with the mand that had caused all the suffering of everyone I'd ever cared for forced him to smile. I could tell he was happy to have the real me back and at his side, "Sure, how about you?"

I cracked a grin of my own, "You know it."

Together, we started up the stairs and began our climb to the final battle.

Next Chapter: Duel of Fate

A/N: So... many... synchro summons! GAH! Anyway, Koyou will be back using his own deck next chapter. As in, his new Chaos Gemini deck. ;)


	15. Chapter 16

A/N: Whoops, I forgot that the last duel of the season is a turbo duel. Koyou's Chaos Gemini deck will not be returning yet after all. In fact, I will have it return at some point later in the next season. Instead he uses his regular turbo duel deck here, with the "Chaos Signer Dragons" at his disposal. Also in case you weren't aware, cards like Flashing Karat Dragon – Stardust, which are described as "Signer Dragons with Dark Signer markings" are actually real cards that appear in the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds manga, which follows a different storyline and features "Duel Dragons" that look like the Signer Dragons but have different effects, markings on them, and are somewhat evil beings (kinda like the Numbers in Zexal in that they have a tenancy to bring out people's dark sides). I thought bringing them into the main canon as dark counterparts to the Signer Dragons was a cool idea and matched well with the concept that the Chosen of Order (as a sort of enforcer) is supposed to be able to use each side's power against them. If you look up the effects of these things, many (but not all of them) either can be used to support or cause trouble for their Signer Dragon counterpart. I did change the name of Jack's to fit the naming conventions of the dub a little better though, it was originally Enma Dragon – Red Demon.

Chapter 16: Duel of Fate

"Koyou?" I heard a familiar voice, Aki's, as I got a bit caught up in the moment as was about to run off to play hero.

I stopped in time to see her and Mei, who looked even more like she'd been through hell, come up to us. Mei, as injured as she was, was a bit slower but spoke as Aki hugged me, "I-I thought you died?"

I return ed Aki's embrace, "I sorta did, not sure exactly sure if losing a Shadow Duel counts as death. There's no time to explain in detail, but I was sent to a strange other dimension, got my head on straight again, and did some dimension hopping to get back here. It took about a day."

Aki broke off the hug, wiping her tears of happiness, "It's only been two hours."

Mom spoke up, "Time works differently in other worlds. I know in the Shadow Realm every minute here is seven there. It explains why he needs a shave when he was clean shaven this morning."

Mei finally reached me and hugged me... very very tightly, "I don't care, I'm just glad you didn't die again."

Luna came over and gave me a smile, "I'm glad you got back. Thanks for your help in the Spirit World."

"No problem. You did most of the work. I just kept the monkeys off your back, literally." I looked at Yusei, "I'm serious, there were monkeys and they tried to tackle her."

Crow pointed up at the pinnacle of the temple, "Let's get back on track here, That the guy behind all of this? Sure looks like it."

Jack scowled at his former manager, "Goodwin! What are you after? What's the meaning of all this?"

At the pinnacle, the man replied with a an air of confidence you could only have if you knew beyond any doubt that you couldn't lose. He was mistaken, "What else but absolute power? The power of both sides of this pointless struggle! I am a Signer and a Dark Signer, the power to bring an end to all this is in my hands now! The power to reshape the world into what it was always meant to be is now mine to command!"  
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Yusei declared.

"And that goes double for me!" I added, "You think you can just walk in and take what isn't yours through pain and suffering? You don't understand the power you're after at all!"

"Ah... the reject specimen." Goodwin grinned, "My mirror image. We are so similar and yet so different. We both lost a loved one and gained their power, we both died to rise again as gods. The difference is in the will. Neither you nor your father have the willpower to master this kind of power! To use it for what it was meant for! My power is true, my power is the fabric of the universe itself! All you wield is destruction and sadness!"

Mom advanced, an angry look on her face, "Watch what you say about my son! He's twice the man you are. He fought hard to control that power, to deserve that power. His father was also willing to sacrifice his soul, he risked everything on the off chance that taking chaos into himself would seal it away. All you've done is tear the world and people's lives apart trying to undo their sacrifices! If anyone wields nothing but destruction and despair it's you, Goodwin!"

"You chosen pose as heroes, but all you do is propagate the endless cycle of war and suffering. I am here to end it! To do what none of you are strong enough to do! I'm here to take control of the madness!"

"You'll have to go through us to do it!" Yusei shot back.

The man chuckled, willing all our duel runners to appear besides us and creating a track in the skies around the temple's pinnacle, "I was hoping you would say that. Let us complete the ancient ritual, the final battle between Signers and Dark Signers! However, we have someone that is both on each side! So this shall be the battle that it has always been: My order against your chaos!"

Mom shook her head, "You understand that power even less than I thought you did." turning to me and Yusei, "Kick his ass!"

Jack grabbed the loose circuits hanging from his damaged runner, "Dammit! My runner is still totaled from my duel. Crow?"

Crow shook his head, shooting a look at Mom, "Somebody jammed my starter so I couldn't stop her from going after Roman."

Mom fidgeted, "Sorry."

Mei checked hers, "Mine's wrecked too. Somebody stole it to go after Roman and crashed."

"Look can we just get off this subject?" Mom deflected, "Yusei and Koyou have their runners, we'll just have to lend them our support from here. They can carry out justice for us."

Jack looked to Yusei, "I'm counting on you to save the day then. Not that I like not doing it myself. Don't make me have to step up anyway after putting my trust in you."

Yusei smiled at the grumpy former duel king's faked harshness, "You got it Jack."

Crow came over to me and gave me a fist bump, "Looks like I'm handing it off to you again. Get up there and get the job done, bro."

I looked at the assembled and they each gave a thumbs up to us, the gesture led by Leo. "We won't fail. We've got this guys."

Mom smiled, "Well, this reminds me of the old days. Your father went off to battle like this with our friend Jaden more than once. Good luck."

I nodded, then started my runner. The duel track Goodwin had created was shaped like a bird, and the thing tilted slowly to allow us to drive onto it while Goodwin began an explanation, "Since this is a two on one duel each of you will be starting with the standard 4000 life points of turbo duels while I will start with twice that many: 8000. Also, none of us may attack on the first turn. Are there any objections?"

"None." Yusei slipped his deck into the slot on his runner.

"That's fine with me." I changed out some cards in my deck and did the same.

We revved up and drove onto the course as Goodwin activated the card that would begin the duel, "Then allow me to start the proceedings with the activation of Speed World!"

I extended my hand, engulfed the field in a sphere of darkness. It hard to maintain without losing control of the chaos sealed in me, but I had to go for more than just a simple ward. I had to go all out, "And allow me to prevent any tricks by declaring this a Shadow Game! The loser will perish, and cheating results in an automatic loss. On top of that, summoning an Earthbound Immortal neither requires nor enables you to sacrifice innocent souls."

"You use evil powers so freely and without regard for your partner you consign him to hell!"

"Quiet, Goodwin, I'm just taking the initiative." I drew, "And the first turn. I set one monster and two face down cards, then end my turn!"

Yusei drew, "Goodwin, you can't beat us because you don't understand what true power is."

"Enlighten me then!"

"True power lies in the bonds we share with others. No force can overcome that."

"You sound just like your father, Yusei."

"Happy to hear it. Now I summon a champion of those bonds: Ancient Gear Knight!" a clockwork knight appeared on the field, reminding me of the brighter times when I'd given that card to Yusei to help him in the Fortune Cup. It had the potential to be really devastating when Speed World was in effect as, once granted its effect, prevented the enemy from activating traps in response to its attack. "After that I end my turn with a single face down."

"Then it is time for my turn." Goodwin drew, "Because you control monsters while I do not, I may special summon Oracle of the Sun. Next I normal summon Fire Ant Ascator and tune the two together! When the Sun arises, all darkness is dispelled. Light, shine brightly! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Sun Dragon Inti!" Four red dragon heads connected to a sun symbol by long necks, "I then remove the Fire Ant Ascator in my graveyard from play to special summon the dark tuner Dark Goddess Whitaka!" he tuned it to his synchro monster tapping into both kinds of synchro, "When the path of darkness is opened, the voices of despair can be heard! Become death! Dark Synchro! Show yourself, Moon Dragon Quilla!" the dragon was the same as the other, but blue and the necks connected to a moon symbol. Finally, I set two face down cards and end my turn!"

My go, "I start my turn off by flip summoning the level 3 tuner Dual Gardna!" A short but sturdy warrior appeared, lightly armored, but wielding a double-headed axe with a blade larger than his entire body. Next I normal summon Gemini Scorpion, which special summons a level 4 or lower gemini monster from my hand, in this case a testament to those bonds that Yusei talked about, another Ancient Gear Knight!"

I glanced at the field once more, nothing the levels of the monsters at my disposal, I activated my Signer and Dark Signer marks, reaching out to Aki with my heart, borrowing some power before beginning my next move, "You like playing with the powers of both sides? Let me show you my trick! I tune my level 3 Dual Gardna with my level 4 Gemini Scorpion! Obscuring tides embrace the night. Star-kissed flower, bloom in twilight! Synchro shokan! Dance! Moon Flower Dragon – Black Rose!"

Yusei was amazed as he took in the sight, "Aki's dragon? With Dark Signer marks?"

I suddenly felt dizzy, the sphere around the field blinking off for an instant before returning.

"Koyou! Are you okay?"

Goodwin laughed, "He thinks himself a god, but a true god can't push themselves too far. That is the nature of your power though, Kou. It is entirely negativity. Such pure hatred and sadness cannot be wielded for good. It will consume you like it did before!"

The man wasn't misguided in that declaration, "I'm fine Yusei." I wasn't. Summoning dark doppelgangers of the Signer Dragons without yanking the power of the Crimson Dragon out of them was more draining than I had thought it would be and was probably only possible because of our bonds. Regardless, trying to do it while maintaining a stronger than normal shadow duel was dipping a bit deep into the dark powers in me for my own good, "Moon Flower Dragon's effect activates. Once per turn... huff, huff. Once per turn when a monster is special summoned I can return a card on the field to its owner's hand. I choose Moon Dragon Quilla!"

Goodwin went for a trap, his haste betraying the fact my move as a particularly nasty one to his strategy, "I activate Destruct Potion, destroying Quilla and granting me its 2500 attack points as life points!"

I knew the card, but what I didn't know was why Sun Dragon Inti was reappearing with all 3000 of its attack ready to fend me off.

Goodwin explained, "When the moon wanes, the sun rises!"

I gritted my teeth, "My effect only triggers once a turn and I don't have enough attack to get through. Yet. I activate my trap card Ultimate Offering, paying 500 life points to normal summon Tuned Swordsman from my hand and another 500 to awaken it as a tuner! Fires of destruction, flames of creation, an irresistible force denies the impending doom! Synchro summon! Charge on through, Black Brutdrago! Attack Sun Dragon Inti!"

Goodwin didn't seem happy as the two monsters clashed in a stalemate and both were destroyed. Which puzzled me when Moon Dragon Quilla was revived, "When the sun sets, the moon takes to the skies again."

Again, Moon Flower Dragon didn't have enough attack to get through, "Black Brutdrago's effect activates! When he's destroyed, I revive a gemini and that gemini has its effect active. I special summon Tuned Swordsman in defense mode. Turn end!"

"You are again a mirror of me, both of our dragons revive something when they die."

Yusei drew.

Before he could start his turn I shouted a warning, "Watch out, something doesn't feel right. He acted annoyed when my dragon died in battle. These things must have some other effect aside from revival." I tried to think of what they could be, they were clearly themed around light and darkness, but I didn't know enough about the properties of the two sides to guess at it, "Watch your step until we figure it out."

Yusei nodded, then started his turn, "I summon Junk Synchron and tune it to my level four Ancient Gear Knight. Clustering roars turn into an echoing arrow which tears through the skies! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro summon! Show yourself, Junk Archer and fire Dimension Shot!" the robotic archer came to the field and fired an arrow that bent time and space, taking Moon Dragon Quilla out of the equation for a turn, "Now attack directly!"

Goodwin barely flinched as he took the damage, "Trap card: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, I special summon one Supay from my hand and another from my deck."

"Turn end." Yusei ended his turn and Quilla returned to the field.

Goodwin: 8200 vs Yusei: 4000 & Koyou: 3000

Goodwin started he turn, "I activate the Speed Spell – Gift to the Darkness. I draw two cards and unless I tribute summon a dark monster this turn I must banish every card on my field." Doing so, he smiled, "HAHAHAHA! I set two cards and then tribute summon Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca!" The markings of the massive Immortal appeared in the darkness of the shadow game and the colossal condor formed from the shadows, "His effect activates! When he is normal summoned I may return up to three cards I control to the deck and make an opponent discard the same number of cards. Rasca gains 1000 attack for each discarded card!" he returned the two cards he had set to his deck, "Now, Kou, lose what is left of your hand!" I had nothing to stop the loss and his gain of 2000 attack. "Rasca attacks you directly, and Quilla will sever you bonds by destroying Moon Flower Dragon – Black Rose!"

The geyser of darkness spewing from Rasca's mouth drove me back and I lost control of my runner, worse was seeing Black Rose shatter from Quilla ripped it apart in front of me. Yusei called out to me, "KOYOU!"

Goodwin: 8200 vs Yusei: 4000 & Koyou: 800

If Goodwin and set and removed that last card in his hand, I wouldn't have been able to continue the duel, much less regain control as he set it and ended his turn. He would have one-shotted me if he'd done that. The trap must have been a big one. I was pretty much finished. One shot away from defeat and no cards in my hand... but I refused to go out like that and leave Yusei high and dry. I refused!

"It's my turn!" as I reached to draw me next card it wasn't anger filling my veins, it was resolve that formed familiar flames of power around me and flowed into my next draw, "Immediate spell: Burning Draw! When this card is drawn or revealed I activate it immediately, checking the next card of my deck. If it's a level 4 or lower monster I special summon it! Come on out!" I checked my next card, "Evocator Chevalier!" I reached out through my mark to Jack, "Lend me your strength! Let me drive your anger into the heart of enemy!" Extending my arm my two monsters became the standard stars and rings, "The warrior's vanguard will now march through here! Yield before its rampaging fury! Synchro shokan! The soul of vengeance, Burning Rage Dragon – Red Archfiend!" a doppelganger of Jack's dragon appeared, again with Dark Signer markings. I tried to proceed with my turn, my again felt my strength fail. With my life points so low it was even harder to keep it together, the sphere warding the field was blinking on and off, reforming a little less each time. I nearly crashing right then and there from fatigue. I barely hanged on, "The other effect of Burning Draw activates, when the monster summoned by its effect is used as material for a special summon, its attack points are added to the new monster!" Burning Rage Dragon literally caught fire and gained 1900 attack, "All of Burning Rage Dragon's 4900 attack is coming at you, along with its effect: Once per turn, I can destroy every other attack position monster on the field!" accelerating to catch up to my partner I glanced to Yusei and he nodded so I proceeded to activate the effect.

However, Goodwin was having none of it, "I activate Passion of Baimasse, negating the activation of that effect and destroying Burning Rage Dragon – Red Archfiend!"

My last dash shattered, my strength fading with it, but I smiled as the Shadow Game sphere dissolved, "I cleared the way the best I could Yusei..." I reached out and tapped his hand as if tagging out in a wrestling match, "It's up to you now. I'm... not the hero... the whole time, I was just here to clear the way for you."

My body failed me, and I crashed as the last of my strength, and the barrier, fizzled out. I could hear Yusei call out my name, and if I didn't know any better, I'd think I could hear the others far below us dismay at my fall.

Goodwin: 8200 vs Yusei: 4000 & Koyou: 800 (cannot continue).

Yusei took the torch I passed and ran with it, "I activate Junk Archer's effect! Since I can't target Rasca for an attack, I'll target it with Dimension Shoot!" Sharp move, Rasca's attack power was effect based, an effect that blinking it off the field reset. When it came back, it would only have 100 attack.

And I'd taken Goodwin's only protection against it away, "No!"

"Next up I summon Attack Gainer and tune it to Junk Archer! Clustering hopes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon! And because I special summoned Stardust Dragon I can special summon Stardust Xiaolong from my hand in attack position!" Quilla's effect suddenly went down 1000 points to 1500. "When Attack Gainer is used for synchro summoning, one monster my opponent controls loses 1000 attack until the end phase! Now go, Shooting Sonic!"

Stardust Dragon reader back and blasted Quilla with cosmic energy, destroying it. Goodwin scoffed, his life points raised a little instead of being lowered at all, " When Quilla is attacked I gain life equal to half the attacking monster's attack points, in this case more than enough to cancel the battle damage. Don't forget," Sun Dragon Inti returned to the field, "Whenever Quilla is destroyed, Sun Dragon Inti rises again!"

What the heck was Yusei thinking? He summoned a 100 attack monster in attack position? It must have something to do with the traps he set, "I set two cards and that'll be it, Goodwin."

Goodwin's Immortal returned with only 100 attack, "My Immortal might be disarmed, by you still can't attack me directly when it is on the field. Meanwhile you've left yourself wide open! I attack Stardust Xiaolong with Sun Dragon Inti!"

Yusei reached for a trap, "Koyou might be down, but he's still here with me and brute force doesn't work against him!" quoting me, he unleashed his plot, a familiar card, "I activate Power Frame! Your attack is negated and Xiaolong's attack becomes 3000."

"Blast you!" Goodwin growled, then noticed the life counters.

Goodwin: 8450 vs Yusei: 4000 & Koyou: 800

A smile crossed his face, "You are right though. Kou _is_ still with you. Rasca attack him directly!" My eyes went wide as the stream of darkness shot out. It was only 100 attack but in my weakened state it sent me rolling towards the edge of the track, nearly knocking me off.

Yusei was horrified, "Goodwin! He's not in this anymore! Leave him out of this!"

"Technically he is Yusei. You even said he was a moment ago. Are your bonds so flighty?"

"Why do that? Didn't you start down this path because your brother asked you to stop him? Didn't you start down this path with good intentions? When did you go mad?"

Goodwin, enraged, glanced at where his robotic arm had once been, "Dreams mean nothing. Hope means nothing! Bonds won't get you anywhere or get anything done. Even the legendary man you Satellite people look up to figured that out the hard way. All he wanted to do was get to the city, all he wanted to do was fulfill a dying wish and the world took him and crushed him under its heel."

Yusei pressed, "You act like that man was you."

Goodwin ignored the probing, "I end my turn!"

"Then I'll start mine." Yusei drew and then set to work, "I'll attack Sun Dragon Inti with Stardust Xiaolong!" Sun Dragon Inti was destroyed but Xiaolong wasn't, "Once per turn, Xiaolong can't be destroyed by battle!"

Goodwin laughed, "It doesn't matter! Sun Dragon Inti's effect activates! When destroyed by battle I destroy the monster responsible and then inflict half that monster's attack to its owner! This effect activates in the graveyard, so it cannot be negated! Take 1500 points of damage!"

"I don't think so! I activate Equip Deflect! When one of my monster with an equip card attached to it would be destroyed, I instead destroy one of its equip spells!" Power Frame shattered and Xiaolong's attack returned to 100. "I set one card and end."

Yusei was in a dire pinch, he wasn't making any progress forward at all. All he needed was a little push. I gritted my teeth in annoyance that I hadn't been able to clear the way any more than I had. Then I looked at my duel runner, and the life counter. I really was technically still in the duel. My runner was a good twenty feet away, but I had two traps set that might help give one last push.

But it was Goodwin's turn, "I have a question for you Yusei. How strong are your bonds exactly? I surmise you must have another card to thwart my attack, but will you use it to protect yourself? Or your friend?" Rasca looked at me.

"Goodwin you bastard leave him alone!"

I shouted, "Yusei it's just 100 damage! Let it hit me! Let it hit-"

The stream shot forward, striking my runner first and sending it sliding into me, knocking me over the edge. Yusei hollered, "KOYOU!"

"It's you're own doing, Yusei. You could have saved him."

I couldn't see him, but I imagined Yusei gripping the handles of his runner tightly in anger, "GOODWIN!"

Struggling to hang on to the edge of the track, I pressed the microphone on my runner and resume pulling myself up. Well, trying to. It wasn't working very well, "I'm okay. I'm hanging on. Do something quick. You've got to end this! You've got to push through! Don't worry about me!"

"Koyou, he's going to come after you again!"

"Then do something about it dammit! You've got this! Bonds and all that jive! Just win! We're all with you!"

Goodwin smiled, "How touching. Moon Dragon Quilla attacks Stardust Xiaolong!"

Yusei triggered his trap, "Scrap-iron Scarecrow negates your attack and then resets on the field."

Grumbling, Goodwin ended his turn, "It's only a matter of time before you lose. Either the duel or your friend. The world isn't a kind place, Yusei. Why won't you just let me fix that? I can remake this corrupt world into a utopia ruled by the one man wise enough to see the truth of the old world!"

"You mean let you destroy everything and then make a new society of slaves? No way, Goodwin! There's no way I'll ever let a madman like you win! I'll stop you! After all you've done to get to this point, I won't let you inflict any more sadness!"

I reached out to him through my mark, trying to give him some of my strength, "Yusei, I'm with you. Use my power you can do it if you just reach out and meet me halfway. Concentrate!"

Yusei reached out to me and my vision faded. The two of us floated in a void that quickly filled with images. Everything that had happened flooded from me to him. My entire life, all the suffering and sadness I had been through. Every heartache and every reason behind it entered his mind, followed finally by my will to finish this and move on. Through the mark I could feel his eyes snap open and he called all the real marks of the Crimson Dragon to him. To my surprise, my own mark left me and joined him, adding claws to the image of the dragon. Even Goodwin's mark went to Yusei.

"What is this? It chose you?" Goodwin gawked.

I was stunned, "My mark was a real one the whole time?"

Through the mark it felt like we were all drawing alongside Yusei as he started his turn, I especially felt him calling upon my powers, I could feel the darkness of my sorrows surrounding him but becoming strength rather than a burden. When he put his hand to his deck, that strength flowed into it. It was time to push, "Immediate spell: Drawing Shadow!"

"What?" Goodwin was stunned, "You're not a Kou! You don't have access to both sides of the power!"

Yusei ignored him, "When this card is drawn or revealed it activates immediately, revealing the top card of my deck. If it's a level four or lower monster I special summon it." he revealed the next card, "Come on out! Majestic Dragon!" the cry of the Crimson Dragon could be heard as a dragonfly-like monster I'd not seen before appeared on the field, wreathed in the dark shadows the special summon had given it. I knew the time had arrived to act, so I pulled myself up enough to hit my trap card.

Again Goodwin was caught off-guard as I got back into the duel, "I activate my trap card, Call of the Haunted, reviving Moon Flower Dragon – Black Rose! Because it was specials summoned I return a card on the field to it's owner's hand. I choose Moon Dragon Quilla!" Using the dragon again pulled more strength from me, and my grip gave way. I struggled to hold on... to activate the other trap, "Touch of Regret! When a dark attribute monster is removed from play I inflict damage to its owner equal to that monster's attack: 2500!"

"ARGH!"

Goodwin: 5700 vs Yusei: 4000 & Koyou: 600

Yusei resumed his turn, "I tune my level 1 Majestic Dragon to my level 1 Stardust Xiaolong and my level 8 Stardust Dragon!" the standard stars and rings formed, this time around Yusei, "The shine of clustering stars will illuminate a new miracle! Become the path where its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Arrive in light, Majestic Star Dragon!" ON that note a new Stardust Dragon appeared, with Yusei and his runner taking flight long with it in the head as if it were some kind of jet. It was... well, majestic. "The other effect of Drawing Shadow activates, whenever a monster special summoned by it's effect is used for a special summon, the new monster negates the effects of of face up cards on the field until the end phase whenever it declares an attack. Go! Shadow Blaster Sonic!"

Yusei shot across the skies, diving straight at Goodwin, who yelled in defiance, "It's not enough! All your bonds and power are not enough! I'll still have 2000 life points!"

Yusei's expression didn't change. Instead, as if he saw me lose my grip and fall, he turned and dove past Goodwin, swooped around to catch me before coming around for another pass and activating a trap card, "I activate Synchro Alliance! When I declare an attack I add the attack power of an allied player's synchro monster to my own!" Moon Flower Dragon suddenly took flight from my field and joined in the attack, making Majestic Star Dragon's attack 6200. "This is the power of our bonds! It's over, Goodwin!"

Connecting with Goodwin their was an explosion of light as his life points hit zero. In the end, it hadn't been a battle between an avatar of law against chaos. Fate had its way and the Chosen of Order, as chaos-infused as I was, only did his job of helping the right side of the conflict in light versus darkness win. Funny how things work out like that.

When the light cleared, we were in an endless field of darkness and stars. If looked a lot like Chaos Zone, but felt totally different. Instead of menacing and out of sorts, it seemed calm and peaceful. As if everything had been put right. It felt good. I could almost feel the entire universe if I opened myself to it. Yusei was confused, but I knew where we were.

"This is what Ener-D really looks like."

A voice pulled our attention to a man behind us. One that looked a lot like Yusei, "It's more the place we were tapping into. This place is so far beyond anything we understood."

Yusei was caught between shock, happiness, and relief, "Dad?!"

The man smiled, "You did could, Son. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to raise you, but you turned into a great adult all on your own. At least I could see you in person once."

"Dad, I don't understand..."

"This is a place that's hard to explain. It's not a place... but it's all places. The very fabric of the universe. All life, all creation not only comes from here. They are here."

Another man came up and grabbed the elder Fudo's shoulder, "That doesn't really clarify much."

It was my turn to go, "Dad!"

He smiled, "Way to go, Koyou. That's my boy."

"I don't get it. We won. You can come back now right?"

He shook his head, "Sorry. I can't. Your mother worried it might be the case right? The force you now hold within you was fused with my soul to seal it. When I lost that Shadow Duel and it past to you, my soul was sort of... sundered. I'm not dead. None of us here are truly dead. If anything we are more alive than we've ever been. We just can't come back."

With both understood what he was trying to say, but Yusei voiced it, "You're fused with this place now."

Dad nodded, "We are everywhere, and nowhere. We are a part of everything, but we are nothing ourselves."

Prof. Fudo closed the distance and held his son, "I've always been watching over you, and I always will be. I want you to know that son, and that I'm proud of you."

"Yeah," Dad agreed, "Koyou, I'll always be a part of you. I'll always love you and the rest of the family with every fiber of what's left of my being."

I teared up, "Don't mix morbid stuff in like it's a joke."

"Sorry, I have a weird sense of humor." He strode over and hugged me, "Tell your mother and sister what happened. Make sure your mother doesn't get too crazy." he pulled away and gave a big grin, "Tell he I saw her charge that motorcycle over the bridge and beat the snot out of Roman, and that I approve. Give her a big thumbs up. That was pretty awesome."

I couldn't help but laugh, "God, you're still a dork."

"Hey, transcending the mortal coil and ascending to a higher plane of being doesn't mean I can't can't appreciate hot chicks on motorcycles kicking ass."

"Dad!"

"HAHAHA!"

I noticed Roman and Rex standing off to the side looking regretful. It seemed like they were busy having their own heart to heart with each other. Rex apologizing to his brother for losing sight of his promise to stop him, and Roman apologizing for not being strong enough to stop it himself. Overhearing it, and with everything over, I was ready to just let it go.

Roman stepped over, "Apologies won't make up for everything I've done. I should have been able to fight the darkness."

Dad shook his head, "No big deal. Stronger men have failed. Hell, if trying to take over the world because you're possessed was unforgivable I'd be in a bit of trouble. I'm in no position to judge."

I would have been shocked to learn that Dad had tried to take over the world while possessed if I hadn't been housing a potion of that evil inside me for a few days and talked to it a few times while trapped between worlds earlier in the day.

Dad continued, "The seal is still weakened though. Unless something is done to repair it, the being you call the King of the Underworld will get out."

Rex stepped up, "You said that this place and everything in it is everything in the universe, correct?"

Dad nodded.

"In my research I discovered that you used your soul to bind avatars of chaos, something you backed up just a moment ago as well."

"Yeah."

"If souls can be used as a binding agent."

Dad frowned, "Fusing this to a soul won't work. The problem is that the process is being unraveled. It's not exactly a door, weird higher-dimensional stuff that doesn't follow the rules of matter is hard to describe, but basically it's got a way out of the seal."

"Then what if I became a patch?"

"It could work, but you're soul isn't strong enough, plus you'd be gone. Even more than we are right now."

"I'm willing to make that sacrifice to amend what I've done. I forgot what bonds and purpose were and caused so much sorrow. It's the least I could do."

Roman stepped up, "I am too. Would both of us together be enough?"

Dad looked at each of them carefully, "Yeah. Are you sure you want to do this though? There's no coming back."

Roman nodded, "Of course. Someone has to do it. It should be the ones that caused it, not the one that sacrificed himself trying to stop it."

"Then I won't stop you. All you have to do is will it and it will happen. This place is beyond matter."

"Very well." Roman looked to me, "There are no words to say in this situation, but know that I'm sorry for taking your father from you."

I shook my head, "It's not okay... but I forgive you. It wasn't you."

Rex was next, "What I did-"

I waved it off, "It's the past. Saving the entire universe kinda makes up for all that stuff in both your cases."

"I hope so." Rex looked to both of us, "Thank you both, and goodbye."

As they started fading away, Prof. Fudo looked to Yusei firmly, "You two have to go now. This isn't your death and this is only a visit to this realm provided by the Crimson Dragon so we could say goodbye. So, goodbye son."

"Goodbye, Dad."

My dad looked at me, cracking a small grin, "Do you think they have checkers here? I mean I don't have my deck and, seriously, how do you even pass time in a realm beyond time, space, matter, and the very concept of existence?"

I chuckled again, trying not to cry, "I'm sure you'll ind some way to amuse yourself." I handed him his deck, "Here. I keep giving this to you in weird dimensions and it keeps coming back."

He smiled and pushed it back into my hands, "Keep it. You don't have to use it or anything, but it's not like I need it. I was joking. Keep it as a memento."

"Alright."

He grabbed my shoulder firmly, "I won't say goodbye, because you'll be seeing me again. I know these things. I've been doing this long enough to be a bit genre-savvy."

"Whatever you say."

"Seriously, there's going to be something else, I guarantee it. These things are never this simple. Live a good life while you can son, and keep your wits about you. If you don't lose sight of the people you care about," he pointed at my chest, "chaos will never take you again."

"Thanks, Dad."

I could feel us withdrawing from that place.

Dad cracked another grinned and waved, "Goodbye, Koyou."

"I thought you weren't going to-" annoyed I tried to protest, but he was gone. The last I say of him that day was him making and annoying 'Gotcha' face. The moron.

The world was peaceful again surprisingly quickly. While damages from the struggle were being fixed, the government fulfilled the promise Yusei had made Goodwin make when we first agreed to fight the Dark Signers. They finished the Daedalus Bridge and connected Satellite with New Domino City and renovations to a lot of districts got underway as businesses spotted a chance at cheap land and labor. It would be months before we saw any major changes though.

Leo and Luna applied to the local Duel Academy my mother is the principal of and got in, and soon after Aki decided to complete her education and went back. Yusei, Jack, and Crow got a place in the city with a garage and started working there. Speaking of Crow, he and my sister starting dating and they seem really happy now that all the chaos making Mei so stressed was resolved. She went back to her old energetic, flirtatious self. Kept the flirty bit exclusive to Crow of course, which stressed him out to no end. Poor guy had spent his whole life being ignored by most girls because of his criminal marks, and suddenly had one periodically pinching his butt and complementing it. It got even worse when she decided to move in with him.

Mom... well Mom was not so good. She'd lost the love of her life after all. Dad was like a part of her. She kept a brave face and all and tried to live a happy life, but not all of her was in it. Even after a few months when she seemed to have mostly recovered, I'd catch her looking like death every so often. I decided to stay with her in the house and stayed even when Mei moved out. Mei still stays over most weekends.

Oh, and someone I haven't mentioned much over the course of my story came back from college soon after she caught wind of Dad's death. My other sister, Koishii, who is adopted. Even though she's older than me and Mei, you wouldn't be able to tell from how she acts. Picture Mei on 80lbs of sugar half the time. Despite that, Dad's death hit her almost as hard as it hit Mom. Koishii pushed past the pain though and is doting on Mom constantly.

Aki and I, we're doing fine. We've been dating for a while and even though I haven't really told her everything about what was going on with me and what happened when I lost that Shadow Duel with Divine, we're okay. I haven't gone back to school yet though. Somehow... after everything that's happened I find going back to normal and pretending everything is normal is hard... Honestly... Aki and I haven't been intimate since everything finished. Right now, as I'm recording this I'm staring in a mirror in the bathroom at the reason why. The thing I can't bear to acknowledge or show her. I can't stand the thought of seeing her face twisted in sadness and pity if she saw my torso wrought with scars. Three massive gashes from a monster's claws that nearly killed me while I was between worlds, burns in the shape of Dark Signer markings from when chaos was ravaging my mind and body. It wasn't all my marks, those were invisible. It was like the evil in me was trying to burn out of my torso. I found it repulsive, more because it was a testament to the kind of monster I was than actual ugliness. I couldn't help but be scared that if she saw them something worse than pity would be on her face... I can't bear the thought that she might be revolted by my appearance.

Things are fine though, mostly. I can't help thinking though that Dad might be right, that something else is on the way, and my relative happiness was skating on thin ice.

Season 2: Reverse of Arcadia END

Next Season: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Road to Destiny, COMING SOON!

Next Season: The build-up to the World Riding Grand Prix will begin and a new threat surfaces to threaten the Signers. It will have been six months since the end of this season and not all is well in the world. Things will have happened during the time skip, and many things will have changed. To face the new threat, all the Signer's (including Koyou) will need to find a new power. New cards, new enemies, and new adventures!

A/N: Unlike all most previous seasons in these series, nest season will not be based of a DS game of the same name (as you can tell next season isn't called Over the Nexus like the corresponding DS game) and that's because Over the Nexus was disappointing and didn't life up to the excellence of Reverse of Arcadia. Instead, the events will be more show canon oriented, with elements added from what I would have had Over the Nexus' story be like. Look forward to it. It will be in a separate fic as usual. Also, be sure to review this fic. I'd appreciate any feedback you have.


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